You and I just bought this guy a car

Earlier today, in a creepy San Francisco ceremony featuring a guy who dressed up as a polar bear and hugged people, Redwood City resident Olivier Chalouhi became the first person to own an all-electric Nissan Leaf.

He paid about $33,500, but with tax credits his final cost will be about $20,000.

In other words, you and I just bought this guy a car.

But there is some good news.  Chalouhi didn't trade in his SUV for a Leaf, he traded in his...bicycle.  So Chalouhi's purchase has deviated a bit from the Left's electric vehicle hymnal, in that his purchase of a Leaf actually increases emissions rather than decreases them, and increases the number of cars on the road.

Even though a Leaf runs on electricity, the production of that electricity generates emissions. Chalouhi lives in Redwood City, which means he is a customer of Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), and PG&E's electricity sources are 14% renewable, 13% hydroelectric, 35% natural gas, 20% nuclear, and 15% "unspecified."

There are emissions associated with producing electricity from natural gas, but I'm grooving on the 20% nuclear.

So we helped subsidize this guy's purchase of a politically-correct, uber-Green Leaf, but it gets him off his bike and puts him behind the wheel.  In addition, 20% of the juice in his car is provided by politically-incorrect nuclear power.  And I'l betcha he travels farther afield in his Leaf than he did on his bike.

That can't be the result the environmentalists were hoping for.

Heh.

Olivier, drive it in good health.