Electric Vehicle Charging Station at Mainplace Mall

This was supposed to be a symbol of the future—and, sadly, it is. When it opened in late 1997 you could actually buy (lease) an electric car, most notably General Motors' spacey EV1. Then GM and Chrysler sued the state for trying to regulate fuel economy, and in 2003 GM cancelled the EVs. Payback smells like gasoline. As the leases ceased, the cars were recalled and stored and taken to the desert to be crushed. Protesters—a symbol of the past—protested as the car carriers rolled out and an actress was arrested. And now there's no waiting in line at the charging station. Yay! 2800 N. Main St., Santa Ana, (714)547-7800. To get there, follow Marketplace Drive around a gentle right curve. Make a gentle left around the perimeter to the far (west) side of the mall. Just after passing the north Macy's, turn left onto the access road between Macy's men's store and the parking structure. The chargers are just inside the parking structure on the ground level in section 1A, opposite a point between the first and second entrances of Macy's.