Ditching the Pump, Plugging In

Jan. 14, 2011— -- The country is in the midst of the largest rollout ever of electric cars and the infrastructure needed to support them, as officials hope the country begins to ditch the pump and, instead, plug in.

"This is the technology of the future when it comes to automobiles," David Sandolow, Assistant Secretary for Policy and International Affairs, told ABC News.

The goal is to put more than 13,000 electric-drive vehicles and 20,000 chargers in more than 20 cities across the country in the next few years.

As part of the rollout, ECOtality North America was awarded a $99.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to embark on an the EV project to help electrify the country.

Officially launched on Oct. 1, 2009 and lasting approximately 36 months, the project will deploy nearly 15,000 charging stations in 16 cities in six states (Oregon, Washington, California, Arizona, Tennessee and Texas) and the District of Columbia. Nissan North America and General Motors/Chevrolet are partners in the EV Project.

Smaller projects also are going up around the country. Better Place, a company that builds battery-swapping stations to replace car batteries in less time than it takes to fill your tank up with gas, is in the planning stages to roll out infrastructure in the states of California and Hawaii.

President Obama has set a goal of having a million EVs on the road by 2015. Right now, buyers can enjoy a $7,500 federal tax credit if they buy one.

"This is the first time that electric vehicles have been rolled out to the mass market to Americans in showrooms for purchase," Sandalow told ABC News.