The picture above shows a 2010 Tesla Roadster Sport parked under the PV arrays at Pickering Associates. Tesla is the first American built  completely electric vehicle with a reasonable range. The Roadster is rated with a range of approximately 200 miles under optimal driving conditions and will get approximately 140-150 miles at highway speeds on the Appalachian (hilly) roads. With a charge time of 4.5 hours for a full charge using a high-output charging system it derives 100% of its energy from the solar PV system at 12 Faith Meadows. At current utility rates it would cost approximately $ 5. for a full charge, which is approximately 2.5 cents per mile. This is an equivalent gasoline efficiency of approximately 90 miles-per-gallon. Using the solar PV system to charge means that there is virtually no emissions and no environmental impact associated with the fuel for the vehicle.

Tesla Motors is now manufacturing new S-type sedans which start at about $ 50,000. (and has a 6 month waiting time for delivery).

You can read more about the future of electric cars and solar energy in this article by Antony Ingram or find electric car charging stations across the country.