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PIA Reviews

The staff at Plug In America always likes to check out books and movies that deal with electric cars. Let us share with you our thoughts on some of these...

Plug In Hybrids: The Cars That will Recharge America

Sherry Boschert, 2006, New Society Publishers

If you want to learn more about the future of transportation but were afraid the information would go over your head or bore you to tears, this is the book is for you.

By: Alexandra Paul

Two Cents Per Mile

Nevres Cefo, 2009, NEVLIN LLC

"[Cefo] intends to make electric vehicle (EV) advocates of us all and largely succeeds."

By: Linda Nicholes

Coming Clean - Breaking America's Addiction to Oil and Coal

Michael Brune, 2008, Sierra Club/Counterpoint

According to Michael Brune, Executive Director, Rainforest Action Network, the time has come to face our nation's complex issues of climate change and energy.

By: Linda Nicholes

Plugged In: The End of the Oil Age

World Wildlife Foundation, 2008, World Wildlife Foundation

After a thorough (but accessible) review of every major Well-to-Wheel (WTW) analyses of alternative fuels and technologies currently proposed in the field, Kendall states that electric vehicles hold the most immediate potential..

By: Shannon Arvizu (reprinted with permission)

Internal Combustion: How Corporations and Governments Addicted the World to Oil and Derailed the Alternatives

Edwin Black, 2006, St. Martin's Press

This book changed my understanding of the history of electric cars. The account of a suspicious arson at a factory in which Henry Ford and Thomas Edison hoped to launch a new partnership is fascinating.

By: Sherry Boschert

Electric and Hybrid Cars: A History

Judy Anderson and Curtis D. Anderson, 2005, McFarland & Co., Inc.

If we could take all the books about the history of electric cars and mash them together, we might have the perfect account. Until then, this book has its strengths and weaknesses, like most others.

By: Sherry Boschert

The Hype About Hydrogen

Joseph J. Romm, 2004, Island Press

Many of us electric vehicle drivers initially got excited by the idea of hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, but turned away when we learned more about them. This book explains why.

By: Sherry Boschert

The Electric and Hybrid Electric Car

Michael H. Westbrook, 2001, Society of Automotive Engineers

This somewhat dated book is an odd but appealing mix of electric vehicle history up until 1990 plus chapters on engineering to satisfy the geek within.

By: Sherry Boschert

Forward Drive: The Race to Build "Clean" Cars for the Future

Jim Motavalli, 2000/2001, Sierra Club Books

Ah, the glory days of optimism around alternative-fuel vehicles!

By: Sherry Boschert

The Car that Could

Michael Shnayerson, 1996, Random House

In 1996 GM's long-awaited fast and revolutionary, all-electric EV1 made its debut. Michael Shnayerson's sensational saga tells a tale of perseverance, ingenuity, courage, hope, conflict, success and betrayal.

By: Linda Nicholes

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