Thanks to a new series of charging stations along I-5, electric car owners will soon be able to road trip from Oregon to Canada
The electric car road trip of the future
Photo courtesy of AeroVironment

Photo courtesy of AeroVironment

My friends who take their carbon footprints so seriously that they stand on their tippy toes now have their Nissan Leafs, with their 100-miles-per-charge range (ok, 70 miles, maybe). This being the vast, expansive West—land of the long-range, top-down road trip—it won’t be long before the eco-chic dream comes true: By summer, you should be able to road trip in your electric car from southern Oregon to all the way to Canada on I-5, the West’s busiest freeway.

The West Coast Green Highway initiative (DOTs from California, Oregon, Washington, and B.C.) is furiously working on strategically placed charging stations along the corridor. No word yet on whether the convenience stores will be stocked with artisanal cheeses, heirloom apple vending machines and  “I heart Compost” (organic) cotton t-shirts. Or when the Leaf will be available as a convertible.

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