The shift to more electric cars and transportation brings opportunities for control, extreme performance, energy reduction and flexibility, cheaper operation, and lower emissions. Customers see limited range, battery performance limits, slow refueling, and lack of charging facilities as big drawbacks. This presentation shows how the energy needs of most electric and plug-in hybrid cars can be met with the conventional electrical outlets most of us have. Safety protection, metering, billing, and other functions can be supported by a car to turn a “dumb” electrical outlet into a smart vehicle charge point. Actual driver needs are discussed, showing how more advanced chargers fit in. Survey results on the University of Illinois campus help to support the ideas. The talk explores how to think differently about electric cars and energy. Flexibility can make electric vehicles important partners for the future of electricity.