Electric Highway to Connect SoCal and NorCal

If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area long enough, you may actually think Southern California is an entirely different state. Let's face it, those script-writing, silicone-enhanced Los Angelinos don't have much in common with their code-writing, silicon-worshiping neighbors to the north (but we're probably more similar than we realize).

A "hella" cool plan to link the two Californias with an electric car-charging corridor may help bring the redwood forests and the tar pits that much closer together.

As reported in Wired's Autopia blog, SolarCity and Rabobank have partnered to create a corridor of electric vehicle charging stations along U.S. Highway 101, beginning in five cities. Three stations -- in Salinas, Atascadero and Santa Maria -- already have been unveiled. The other two are planned for San Luis Obispo and Goleta, scheduled to open on October 15.

The 240-volt, 70-ampere stations won't power your electric car nearly as quick as traditional gas station stops and take anywhere between one and three hours to "fill up," but it's still early in the game. However, they are among the quickest in the nation and are located in retail shopping districts, allowing road-weary families some time to sit down for lunch and buy a few necessities while they're plugged in.

Okay, so what does this have to do with technology? As with any tech-driven paradigm shift, adoption requires a robust infrastructure to help justify that shift. For example, what good is a fast processor and built-in Wi-Fi if you can't get a high-speed Internet connection where you live?

Exactly.

Truth is, electric vehicle technology will only develop -- and be adopted -- as quickly as the infrastructure supporting this technology is built out. This is a great start.

Photo courtesy of Jorobeq, via Wikimedia Commons.