The Great Race

February 15, 2015

Spoiler: no one wins the race. Although most viable electric or hybrid vehicles described here are made in Japan, where the best infrastructure to support them is also found, Tillemann (Jeff and Cal Leonard Fellow, New America Fdn.) is unwilling to concede the race on the part of the United States or China. Granted, Tesla Motors is evidence that America is still a going concern in the electric vehicle market, but the story of China told in these pages is largely one of ambitious striving, if not overreaching. Nevertheless, Tillemann begins and ends his chronicle with China. Not that it isn't fascinating to hear about dynamic engineers such as Wan Gang and his big plans, but the narrative feels tacked onto the more graphic struggle between America and Japan. Also interesting is the role that California legislation plays in influencing automakers around the world: their emission standards led Japan to develop such popular cars as the Honda Civic and Toyota Prius for the American market. This influence is still at work--the next set of standards is set to take effect in 2017. VERDICT This is an informative ramble through the influences on the electric and hybrid cars we see today and will see in the future. The afterword includes a brief summary of Google's self-driving car.--Cate Hirschbiel, Iwasaki Lib., Emerson Coll., Boston

Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.