"Fueling stations" for electric cars in Portland  

Ron at Newshoggers points to this article at NewsChannel 8 in Portland on a new initiative in Portland, Oregon, which seems to be the green frontier in a lot of ways - PGE offers free 'fueling' station for electric cars.

Portland has a reputation for being green. And according to PGE, that reputation is well earned.

The electric utility unveiled its first electric fueling station near Southwest 1st Avenue and Salmon Street Monday. Officials said there will soon be a network of 12 electric stations located all across the city as PGE prepares for the future.

"The City of Portland already has the highest percentage of hybrid vehicles of any city in the nation. So we know that Portlanders are already buying electric vehicles, and as more of these hybrid plug-ins get rolled out we want to be ready to serve them," said Bill Nicholson, PGE vice president of customers and economic development.

Meantime, automakers continue to work on new technologies - like plug-in hybrids - that may drive demand higher. So even though the network of electric filling stations may start off small, PGE officials said they plan to expand in the future.

And when consumers learn about the economics of an electric fill-up, PGE officials believe they won't ever want to go back.

"Some of the early returns show you can charge a vehicle for 40 miles for less than a dollar. You compare that to how much you're going to pay; $5 or $6 for gas to run 40 miles, and we think it's going to be cheaper and better for the environment," Nicholson said.

And at least in the beginning, customers won't even have to pay that $1 to go 40 miles as PGE wants to make it as easy as possible for its customers to use the plug-in stations and they will offer the electric power for free.