Skip to main content

Nissan EV video looks back to when gasoline infrastructure was spotty, good roads were rare

Nissan LEAF charging
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Many EV detractors point to a limited charging infrastructure as a major argument against electric vehicles. While their reasoning has merit, electric cars aren’t quite the nonstarter some make them out to be. It wasn’t too long ago when even the American roadway system and gasoline station network was seriously lacking.

As life-long driver Charlie Yaeger, now age 97, recounts in the video interview by Nissan (below), Americans used to have to memorize where gas stations were in order to ensure completion of their day-to-day driving. Add to that the poor state of local roads and driving most anywhere was quite a chore, not the second thought it is today.

Recommended Videos

While the Nissan video makes some mistakes in its historical timeline, specifically when President Dwight D. Eisenhower initiated the interstate highway system, it makes a good point: electric cars and the corresponding charging infrastructure is now where gasoline cars were some 80 years ago.

The same could be said about the burgeoning hydrogen fuel-cell-vehicle refueling infrastructure. As we reported last week, there are only 20 public hydrogen stations in the U.S., which is a far cry from the 120,000-some gasoline stations presently in the lower 48 States. Natural gas infrastructure is also still in its nascent stages.

Additionally, the cost of implementing a nation-wide charging infrastructure is minuscule compared to the scope of building the interstate highway system and even the gasoline distribution system. The highways and electrical grid are built, no trucks are needed to haul around tankers full of electricity and using a car charger isn’t much more complex or dangerous than plugging in a lamp.

Like Nissan, we urge consumers to keep an open mind about alternative drivetrain technologies. While they might not be able to directly compete with the ease of use and accessibility of gasoline at the moment, within a few decades – if not sooner – that will all likely change.

What’s your call on the future of driving? Will electric cars rule the roadways, or will it be some other fuel, like natural gas or hydrogen? Leave a comment below.

Nick Jaynes
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Nick Jaynes is the Automotive Editor for Digital Trends. He developed a passion for writing about cars working his way…
Eaton, Treehouse to boost home capacity for EV charging, energy storage
eaton treehouse ev charging news releases

Power-management firm Eaton likes to point out that when it launched in 1911, it invested in a new idea -- the very first gear-driven truck axle -- just at a time when both transportation and power management were on the cusp of dramatic change.
More than 113 years later, Eaton is again seeking to lead innovation in the current energy transition.
The power-management firm just signed a deal with Treehouse, an AI, software-enabled installation platform for electrification projects. The end goal: accelerating the electrification of homes for electric-vehicle (EV) charging, energy storage, or heat pumps, while seeking more efficiency and cost savings.
“At Eaton, we’re all-in on the energy transition and we’re making it happen at scale by delivering breakout technologies and industry collaborations needed to delight customers and make it more accessible and affordable,” says Paul Ryan, general manager of Connected Solutions and EV Charging at Eaton.
The partnership will ensure consumers are provided with accurate and fast pricing, as well as access to licensed electricians to deliver code-compliant installations, the companies say.
The collaboration also integrates into Eaton’s “Home as a Grid” approach, which supports the two-way flow of electricity, enabling homeowners to produce and consume renewable energy when they need it, Eaton says.
“For more than a century, power has flowed in one direction—from centralized power plants into homes,” the company says. “Today, there’s a new reality thanks to solar, electric-vehicle charging, energy storage, digitalization, and more.”
Projects to change homes and EVs into energy hubs have multiplied recently.
Last month, Nissan joined ChargeScape, a vehicle-to-grid (V2G) venture that is already backed by BMW, Ford, and Honda. ChargeScape’s software wirelessly connects EVs to power grids and utility companies, enabling consumers to receive financial incentives for temporarily pausing charging during periods of high demand. Eventually, consumers should also be able to sell the energy stored in their EVs’ battery back to the power grid.
In August, GM announced that V2G technology will become standard in all its model year 2026 models. And Tesla CEO Elon Musk has hinted that Tesla could introduce V2G technology for its vehicles in 2025.

Read more
Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and EVs offer big incentives as year nears its end
chrysler dodge jeep ev incentives record my24 hybrid gallery 04 exterior desktop jpg image 1440

It’s no secret that automakers and dealerships typically climb over each other to offer the best incentives before the year ends. But this year’s sales season is expected to be particularly competitive, with slowing sales translating to greater urgency to clear inventory.

According to research from Kelley Blue Book, the respected vehicle-valuation firm, overall incentives on new vehicle sales were up by 60% in October compared to the previous year.

Read more
Jeep, Ram EREVs will get 690-mile range with new Stellantis platform
A 2025 Ram 1500 Ramcharger sits in a vineyard.

Stellantis, the giant automotive group, is betting big on extending the range of both its hybrid and fully electric vehicles (EVs).

Last month, the company, which owns the Jeep, Dodge, and Ram brands in the U.S., invested nearly $30 million into an advanced wind tunnel at its research center in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The goal is to study airflow around a vehicle’s wheels and tires to further optimize its EVs and boost their range.

Read more