You can tell just by looking at my midnight blue '95 Subaru Legacy it lacks class. Oh, it's a uniquely handsome driving unit alright, but it has serious problems. The Bluebaru, as it aptly named, was totaled in a hail storm a few summers ago. It's pocked like a golf ball and is rusting from some of the deeper dents. The age is more telling inside the car. The check engine light is the only working interior light. When I turn on the air conditioner the steering wheel locks up. When I hit 65 MPH the car shakes. When I take it in for an oil change I get an ear full from the mechanic who rattles off the consequences of neglecting repairs on the many ailments that have befallen the vehicle.
But it's not the ear full I get from the mechanic or the fact that the car might shake apart as I drive that worries me. It's the noise surrounding my car that drives me nuts. Since problems with the AC arose, I began driving with the windows down during the warmer months. As a result, my ears have been subject to the tormenting sounds of passing traffic. Revving engines and the roar of exhaust through tail pipes merely drowns the music from my stereo's single functioning speaker and stifles the wind.
Even though every commute is obnoxiously deafening, it is a constant reminder of what is on the horizon: A road full of electric cars. The quiet and futuristic, mechanical whine of an electric motor is a sound that revs my engine and eases my mind. A traffic jam of dozens of electric cars emitting low decibels couldn't shake me the way that a single ½ ton truck does. I look forward to the day that when my windows are down I can hear the road and the wind. I often resent the fact that the car I drive contributes to the same problems from which we all suffer.
Part of my involvement in the I Want to Buy an Electric Car mission is to recycle the Bluebaru and replace it with a new full fledged electric machine. In addition to limiting the negative environmental effects of internal combustion engines, I look forward to hearing the sounds of the road. Even though cash is an issue, my goal is certain: I will own an electric car of my own. I have taken the pledge and I urge you to do the same. Please visit our “Parts” section and show your support for a future of electric vehicles.