Build It and They Will Come - President Obama Anchors Battery Technology in the US - Creates 300 Jobs

President Obama gets it! Battery technology is a major key to the introduction and success of the electric vehicle. In such, he has made a place for the US to be part of the battery manufacturing industry instead of the ever famous American way of farming business and manufacturing abroad. The US can play a major role in the advancement of electric vehicles by taking the bigger steps, the necessary steps to build infrastructure, manufacturing and trust in the EV movement, by simply investing and promoting it the way President Obama has set forth to do. Economic strength comes from doing, not sitting back and waiting.

Industry consultants say U.S. companies are losing a race to commercialize the technology to rivals in Asia and Europe. General Motors has said it might use foreign-produced batteries in the Chevrolet Volt, the plug-in scheduled for production in 2010.

During the 2008 presidential campaign, Obama pledged to put 1 million plug-in vehicles on the road by 2015. Giving grants to US companies such as Johnson Controls to create manufacturing, and grants to open a battery manufacturing plant in Michigan are two examples of how the President is taking action.

Some believe this move to manufacture batteries is too early, that we don't have enough of a demand to justify manufacturing the supply. "The battery story is highly questionable," said Menahem Anderman, the founder and chief executive of Total Battery Consulting. "Basically, there's really no proven market, neither electric vehicle nor plug-in hybrid electric vehicle -- and there's really no battery company in the United States that has a verified product." To this I say hogwash! If America sets the pace, gives GM, Tesla Motors, Fisker and others a manufacturing supplier stateside, that has the technology, is green friendly by being "local" and not overseas when regarding shipping, and produces 300 jobs just to start, this could make all the difference. Why would one question this? Medical advances would not exist if it weren't for speculation, R&D, grants and federal funding, how can this be altogether different.

Independence from oil, economic strength from manufacturing, creation of "green" jobs, a cleaner environment...how many things in the world that we know today can fulfill so many needs at the same, while being beneficial all around? Long live the electric vehicle, no matter how you choose to experience the sensation.