Famous Electric Vehicle Supporters

See what politicians, celebrities and other VIPs have to say about pure electric cars.

President Obama
March 19, 2009 at the Edison Electric Vehicle Technical Center in Pomona, California

We’ll do this because we know, as Lavon just said, that the nation that leads on energy will be the nation that leads the world in the 21st century. Our children’s futures depend on it. … And we will put 1 million plug-in hybrid vehicles on America’s roads by 2015. That’s where we’re going to focus on. … So we have a choice to make. We can remain one of the world’s leading importers of foreign oil, or we can make the investments that would allow us to become the world’s leading exporter of renewable energy.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/19/us/politics/19obama-edison.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

Now, because these cars of tomorrow require batteries of tomorrow, I’m announcing that the Department of Energy is launching a $2 billion competitive grant program under the Recovery Act that will spark the manufacturing of the batteries and parts that run these cars — (applause); that will allow for the upgrading of factories that will produce them, and in the process, create thousands of jobs in facilities like this one — all across America.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/19/us/politics/19obama-edison.html?pagewanted=2&_r=2

John McCain

This is why I further propose we inspire the ingenuity and resolve of the American people by offering a $300 million prize for the development of a battery package that has the size, capacity, cost and power to leapfrog the commercially available plug-in hybrids or electric cars.” … “electric cars … will one day fill the roads and highways of America.
http://thepage.time.com/transcript-of-mccains-remarks-in-santa-barbara-california/

When we buy foreign oil from these and other sources, there are many consequences — all of them far-reaching and none of them good. Worst of all, by relying on foreign oil, we enrich bad actors in the world, some of whom finance terrorists.” … “energy security is the great national challenge of our time.
http://thepage.time.com/full-transcript-of-mccains-fresno-california-speech/

The key, integral, vital part of our ability to eliminate our dependence on foreign oil will be directly related to that sign over there, … McCain told an invitation-only town hall meeting at the GM Technical Center in Warren, pointing to a sign for GM’s first plug-in electric car, the Chevrolet Volt.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-07-18-McCain-automobile-industry_N.htm

Senator Al Gore

An electric vehicle fleet would sharply reduce the cost of driving a car, reduce pollution, and increase the flexibility of our electricity grid.

Jay Leno

the great thing about electricity is that you get full torque from 0 rpm … it’s something that’s pretty cool and is environmentally safe, so there’s something to say for that … I know how reliable electrics can be, I’ve had my baker 10 or 12 years and I’ve had no trouble, nothing, all I do is charge my batteries in it … if this is the future, I’m not that worried

Tom Hanks
Tom Hanks explains to David Letterman about the advantages to electric cars, and hybrids.

I’m saving America by driving an electric car … The greatest thing about driving an electric car is that you never have to stop at a gas station again. You want to talk about freedom, America? You never stop at a gas station again.

Matt Damon

Next year I’m getting [an all electric car], which I’m very, very excited about. It’s an electric car, gets about 250 miles to the charge and is fast as hell! I can’t wait to get it. Driving a green car is one of the ways we can all do a little more, so I’m trying to do that. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/driving/article2192175.ece

Electric is where it has to go!
http://www.autofiends.com/2008/06/matt-damon-caught-test-driving-tesla-prototype-wants-one/

Michael ‘Flea’ Balzary of the band Red Hot Chili Peppers

However, in my desire to pollute less, and knowing I was going to be running on solar power in my new house and could charge it with solar, I thought, wow, I can drive CLEAN and contribute less to unbalancing the already unbalanced environment we live in, a lack of balance that could spell certain doom for us all! -- on buying a all electric car.
http://www.teslamotors.com/blog5/?p=57

Carlso Ghosn, CEO of Nissan and Renault
7/23/2008

Building cars powered by alternative fuels but that still use oil is ‘unsustainable,’ I want a pure electric car. I don’t want a range extender. I don’t want another hybrid … It’s not going to be zero emissions in certain conditions. It’s going to be zero emissions. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/23/business/23auto.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Nothing can stop the car being the most coveted product that comes with development, and more efficient conventional engines are not the answer. We must have zero-emission vehicles. Nothing else will prevent the world from exploding. http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/05/carlos-ghosn-nissan-renault-electric-car-hybrids.php

http://www.economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11332425

Martin Roscheisen, CEO of Nanosolar

Electric cars are about four times more energy efficient than fuel based cars, no matter whether they are based on biofuel or other fuel. This is because any fuel engine mostly creates heat and thus wastes the majority of the available energy units. Combine this with plants not being very efficient solar energy harvesters relative to semiconductor based solar electricity, and the result is this huge difference.
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/08/martin-roscheisen-ceo-nanosolar-electric-cars.php

Ed Begley Jr., actor (whose owned 12 EVs including a Subaru conversion, a Festiva conversion, a VW Rabbit conversion, a Rav4-ev, as well as leasing the GM ev-1)

How we get from point A to point B has the biggest impact on our air, water and land. http://www.edbegley.com/environment/tipsandfaq.html

It’s a technology that is important. You know it’s a tool in the tool box, but a very important one. And by that I mean, you know everyone thinks they need a sledgehammer. But everyone is really just putting in carpet tacks. You don’t need a sledgehammer to put in carpet tacks. People are going to and from the market, to and from work, to and from the bank, and to and from the video store. Once and while you need a sledgehammer, but you can go rent one when you need one.
http://www.evworld.com/article.cfm?storyid=321

Tony Shalhoub

I’m learning more and more about being green every day. I drive an electric vehicle, I have a Toyota Rav4 electric vehicle, that’s no gas … to have a less toxic more environmentally friendly type of lifestyle
http://www.ecorazzi.com/2007/03/27/razzi-exclusive-tony-shalhoub-on-green-living/

Danny Devito
Danny DeVito on Jersey Docs at cstar.com

I use to take it to the beach, come back, plug it in at night. That’s all you did. Nothing. No repairs, no nothing, honestly crazy. Who killed the electric car and for god sakes why? -- on the GM-EV1.

Francis Ford Coppola, director of “The Godfather”

The EV1 is my all time favorite car.
http://www.educationpress.com/hopeforhumanity/02_theev2.htm

Bill Nye  (who leased the EV-1, has signed up to lease the new 100% electric minis)

Cars make pollution and spread it out. What to do? Maybe you’ve heard of electric cars … Electric power plants usually generate electricity in just one place … So it should be possible to generate the energy here, and filter it to keep the air clean. See that’s the idea behind electric cars, controlling air pollution.
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=44322264

Takeo Fukui, Honda CEO
October 27, 2007

My feeling is that the kind of plug-in hybrid currently proposed by different auto makers can be best described as a battery electric vehicle equipped with an unnecessary fuel engine and fuel tank. … I’m not sure what kind of real advantages they [plug-ins] would have. … I don’t think that [plug-ins] will contribute to the global environment or to reducing carbon dioxide.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601101&sid=aC3jOb.stdsY&refer=japan
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2007/10/23/honda-president-ceo-plug-in-hybrids-unnecessary-dont-reduc/

One Response to “Famous EV Supporters”