A tipping point is about to be reached with electric vehicles as automakers race to crank out new models, everyday drivers embrace clean energy, and smart grid technologies roll out to transform outdated infrastructure. But what does the coming EV revolution mean to the average person? A new interactive feature launched today, part of The GE Show, sheds some light on the question. Just as the last installment, “Healthy Hospitals,” took a deep dive into what it takes to make hospitals more efficient, today’s detailed look at electric vehicles runs the gamut from EV history (our own Thomas Edison had an electric vehicle charger in the early 1900′s) to what the pending rollout of massive numbers of electric cars will look like. There’s even an online game that lets you see how you well you can zip around on your morning charge.
 Road test: The GE Show is an online series that decodes large-scale issues and explains what is being done to solve them. One of the features in the latest episode on electric vehicles lets users type in their zip code and then enter in their typical driving destinations. The analysis let you see how an electric vehicle might work out for you in real life. Click the image to go to the interactive tool. |
 Can you do it? The object of the “Electric Avenue” game is to complete as many trips around town as possible in two game days. You have to keep an eye on your battery charge and manage your time — as well as look out for stoplights, other cars and trains. |
 Back in style: Given the love affair with the internal combustion engine, it’s hard to believe that electric vehicles had a early head start back in Thomas Edison’s day at the turn of the last century. Click the image to see The GE Show’s timeline and facts about the first foray into EVs. |
 Hands-on: This section of The GE Show features videos with Yves Behar, designer of our new EV charger, WattStation; as well as testimonials from a first-time EV driver and experts explaining what large-scale rollouts will mean. Click the image to visit the video page and then select topics using the menu bar running across the top of the main screen. |
 Check the dashboard: Click the image to compare key stats by decade, such as the price of gas and electricity, and miles driven by electric vehicles in the U.S. |
GE also recently launched its “ecomagination Challenge: Powering the Grid,” which is a $200 million venture capital commitment to find the best ideas from researchers, entrepreneurs and start-ups to develop smart grid technologies and accelerate their adoption. The 10-week challenge has already received nearly 2,300 entries from around the globe.
* Read more smart grid stories on GE Reports
* Read more about our EV charger WattStation
* Read more ecomagination stories on GE Reports
