LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Hyping electric cars while closing electric plants

OPINION:

The gas tax is only half the fraud that General Motors and our government are perpetrating (“GM’s gas tax fraud,” Comment & Analysis, Friday).

Even if the rate of 481 Volt buyers per month increases, it will take several years before the rest of the fraud causes buyer’s remorse. To recharge the flat batteries of a million Volts in eight hours will draw 2,000 megawatts from the electric grid. (A million Nissan Leafs would draw 3,000 megawatts.)

While the government sets its sights on consumers buying millions of plug-ins over the next 10 years, the same government’s Environmental Protection Agency is forcing the retirement of 50,000 to 100,000 megawatts of coal-fired electric plants. Before long, these wonderful plug-in cars won’t have any juice left for their plugs.

GEORGE F. STEEG

Potomac Falls, Va.