Having your own charging station at home is a possibility that leaves you immune to taxes and fluctuations (it’s a pretty big investment but you’re buying safety). I still think most people would use the grid and public charging stations.
I really despise paranoia and despair but in this country it’s really a matter of economic survival and not only maintaining bad habits.
I completely disagree with the Arab stereotype you mention- it’s mainly the extraction corporations that benefit and a lot of “soft” or hardcore dictatorships in latin america and eastern europe also benefit from this powerful political blackmail tool.
My main motivation remains the good of our environment of which even dictators benefit…

Who said only having a charging station at home is the right way? Afterall, someone needs to make ALL the cars, and ALL the batteries.

Finally, the issue has reached national security levels in many countries. So, extra taxes to move towards Oil elimination is worthwhile.

Everyone who is not an Arab ‘needs to stop using oil as soon as possible.’

Being from Portugal and being used to desillusions with big VE announcements I see these news with moderate enthusiasm. The government here is going to cut all VE related taxes by 70% to serve as an initial boost while the technology doesn’t get their performance and price closer to “regular” cars. Until VE’s are 15% of the total number of cars charging will be for free in public facilities. This infrastrcture will be mandatory in all public buildings, parking lots and highways until 2011.A national builder of fotovoltaics says they’ll promote a domestic package of 20 sqm of panels for you to supply your car for free at home. The particular model Renault presented ables you to change your battery at any service station lika a bottle of natural gas you only pay the deposit (you can always only fill at home or other buildings for free).40% of our electricity in our country comes from renewables and the PM is really promoting this like it was a war for national integrity -the country went mad max-y a month ago when fuel supply stopped for 2 days. We don’t have nuclear, gas or oil but we are calling energetic independence “our last chance”. EV are part of the solution but we need better trains, bike paths and cities and, more than anything else, people’s mindset and behaviours.

I’m beginning to think that ‘tax’ is the key selling point for PBP. With a subsidized charging infrastructure, the system can easily assess and harvest tax income from the participants. Contrast this with a homegrown EV system, with chargers in people’s homes. How can the energy be taxed? A lot harder than it is now with gasoline.

I guess that’s another problem with PBP. The one place you’d really want (and need) a charger, is in your own home. The charging stations to be built would only be usable in mid-day, when electricity use is already highest, instead of at night, when your car is at home in your garage.

It is surprising to see these countries signing up. How much are the governments investing, in the forms of infrastructure, and tax-subsidies?
-BenB