Perhaps my confusion came from the fact that I have real world, daily experience with a plug-in electric vehicle and can use any old cord, including an orange extension cord to plug it into the wall and into the charger that goes to my vehicle.

No weird, special cord is needed and that idea just seems like another unnecessary, artificial barrier to consumers from a clueless industry to me. Regardless, from over a century of using household elctrical appliances, users confronted by any cord, n omatter how weird, will bonk each end into whatever fits that end (wall outlet and appliance, separately).

I do appreciate the writer’s telling us what’s coming and also appreciate how difficult it is to generate excitement over: Look! A cord that you use to plug in an electrical appliance.

Gotta run – having trouble figuring out how to fit my electric shaver into its recharger unit.

Good point. Why not just have the smart plug, like the charger, incorporated into the vehicle, so that a standard, existing extension cord works? That’s how most existing production vehicle models that I’ve seen (Zap, Zenn) work (special electronic bits are part of the vehicle when possible).

At last, some clear writing that recognizes that most manufactures may be more concerned about gaming immediate aftermarket revenues (pricey custom designed replacement parts) than about getting broad market penetration through a new product benefit (electric drive performance) into an otherwise saturated domestic market (automobiles in general). It’s all about replacement rates at this point – come up with a better moustrap (electric drive linear torque – once you’ve experienced what it can be, you’ll never want the herky-jerky bottom of gear slowness of gas only again) and everyone will mostly (we still have 9 million horses) replace their old mousetraps, with significant market penetration starting after about a decade.

The advantage of a weird thingy is that it can break or get lost or stolen. Also who wouldn’t want one for the home and office rather than having to pack it up each time the vehicle is charged? And because it’s high tech imagine how much they can charge for a replacement?

Prior experience has shaped my thinking on this one: When I misplaced my key fob for our 2001 Prius I found out it was going to cost over $200 for a new one. Beats me why it was more than 3 times the price of a normal Toyota key fob. I never could get a straight answer on any of the Prius lists when I asked the question.

Even sophisticated enthusiasts need regular reassurance on the basics, that the design can and will work with the existing infrastrucrure as is, even with the special frosting (V2G, etc.) later planned for that cake.

How I’d divvy the information up:

article 1) The cords for all future production plug in vehicles will have normal consumer ends that consumers can plug into existing outlets exactly as they do any appliance – brainlessly easy. Oh, by the way, the vehicle end will have a standard weird thingy that attaches to the vehicle, just as your cell phone recharger cord has a standard weird thingy attachment to your cell phone when you recharge it.

article 2) Follow up to article 1. Future plug in vehicles will have internal and cord vehicle end features that will allow for interactions that will maximize your battery life. The consumer end of the recharging cord will be a standard male plug that plugs into existing outlets exactly as with any appliance – brainlessly easy.

article 3) Follow up to article 1. Some gory details that the average plug in vehicle user won’t care about. This is for those people who want detailed information on how the condensers and coils in their refrigerator work. The vehicle end of all future plug in vehicle recharging cords will assist in V2G, smart grid interface, timers, peak v. off-peak, power smoothing, cost savings to consumers from more efficient and intelligent grid use. The consumer end of the recharging cord will be a standard male plug that plugs into existing outlets exactly as with any appliance – brainlessly easy.

Article 4) If you want to use a 220 outlet for your plug in vehicle in your home in some areas, you may need a regular residential electrician do a little inexpensive work to mount a particular dedicated outlet/cord in your garage or wherever it makes sense. This is no more complicated than if you had a stacking clothes washer/dryer installed where you weren’t set up for one before and may even be much simpler than that depending on your particular house eletrical set up and your local codes.

etc., etc.