We’ve begun installing chargers for electric cars in Los Angeles – thus my new interest in electric cars. Interest in electric cars (electric vehicles or EVs) is picking up because the Nissan Leaf just began deliveries in L.A. in December and the Chevy Volt is supposed to start deliveries early this year. Los Angeles buyers are starting to install electric chargers for these vehicles, and I’m starting to learn a lot more about EVs.

Of course, as someone who installs chargers for electric cars, I’m interested in how many will be sold in Los Angeles. Sorry folks, no one really knows. Forecasts are all over the board. Pike Research, a transportation analysis firm, just projected in early 2011 that in the next six years, between 2011 and 2017, over 96,000 electric vehicles will be sold in Los Angeles. It projects that Los Angeles purchases will be second highest in the country, trailing only New York City. Its overall projection is 366,000 EVs  sold nationwide by 2017.

Another study in 2009 by the University of California, Berkeley (Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology) projected that the U.S. will hit 1,000,000 EVs sold by 2017. This is still far lower than President Obama’s call for 1,000,000 by 2015, which many analysts consider realistic.

Why are the projections so different? The U.C. study explains. It mostly depends on the price of gasoline. For example, if gas prices continue at about $3.50 a gallon, U.C. forecasts only 18% of new car sales will be electric in 2020. But if gas prices rise to about $5.50 a gallon, the forecast rises to 45% of new car sales in 2020. Of course, experience tells us that gas prices move up and down very quickly and unexpectedly, often depending on events in the volatile Middle East.

The safest statement one can make about electric cars sales in Los Angeles is that they’re starting in a big way now and will continue to increase over the coming years. Another safe statement – buying an electric car and installing a charger is going to protect you from the wild ups and downs of gas prices, something no one can predict.

If you have bought or are thinking of buying a new electric car,  click her for more about what’s involved in installation of a charger for your EV.

The weather outside bas been quite hot as the temperature has been reaching and exceeding the 30’s lately. Your electrical bill is probably rising with the temperature as well. Now is the time that many people start visiting stores in search of an air conditioning unit. This is a great way to cool down your home, but if your home’s electrical system is not prepared for the electrical load or you purchase the wrong unit, you could be left sweating more money than you expected.

Window-mounted air conditioning units are quite common to see in bedrooms or living rooms. These can be purchased from any local home appliance store. These units are mounted in the window and secured. These units pump in cold air and exhaust hot air to the outside – great for rooms that are frequented and difficult to keep cool.

The small units can also be purchased from your local appliance store. These smaller units cannot cool the same amount of area as a window-mounted unit, but can do the trick for small areas that you want to keep cool. The advantage of these is that you can move them from room to room quickly with little setup and takedown. One disadvantage of these units is that they tend to be quite noisy.

You may be fortunate enough to have one of these installed in your home. Central air units can be connected by ducts throughout the house and regulate the temperature set in the home. A central air unit is great for getting a consistently cool temperature in any room in the home while also keeping the noise to a minimum. One trick when it comes to central air is to ensure that you get a unit that matches the square footage for your home. If your air conditioning unit is too large for your home it may not properly dehumidify your home and run on short cycles.

When purchasing an A/C unit you want to ensure that you have a timer and energy-saver option. This will help keep your monthly electrical bills down. Energy efficient units will use less electricity and timer options can prevent the units from running when they are not needed. You also want to make sure that the unit is the appropriate size for your room or home. If the unit is too large it will cycle off quickly and can freeze air moisture without removing it, which can lead to a higher electrical bill.

If you are in the market for a new air conditioning unit for your home, make sure you do adequate research to ensure you are purchasing the right unit at the right size. Read the package for the required voltage and wattage. If you are adding an A/C unit in your home you could overload electrical circuits that are no prepared. If you have questions about your home’s electrical efficiency in the summer, call Expert Electric at 604-681-8338.