Electric Vehicles Get Charge From DC

Posted on May 4, 2011 by quest

Four House members today introduced a bill to boost the deployment of electric vehicles – including providing up to $300 million to 10 cities to jump-start EVs. The measure also would provide up to 500,000 people with additional $2,000 tax credits to buy EVs – on top of the existing $7,500 federal tax credit.

The bill is similar to legislation last year and embraces much of what President Barack Obama proposed earlier this year. Reps. Judy Biggert, R-Ill.; Ed Markey, D-Mass.; Jerry McNerney, D-Calif.; and Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., introduced the Electric Drive Vehicle Deployment Act, to provide grants to help regional communities establish themselves as models for the successful development, installation and deployment of advanced electric vehicle infrastructure, including public charging stations. The bill also offers additional consumer incentives for the purchase of EVs, promotes utility modernization to accommodate electric vehicle deployment and encourages domestic production of EV components.

“If we’re ever to break our addiction to expensive foreign oil, we’re going to have to give a jump-start to sound alternatives. Consumers want to enjoy a cheaper, gas-free commute, but they need to have confidence in their access to things like charging stations,” Biggert said.
The members said – as gas prices near a record level above $4 a gallon – the bill would help wean the nation off foreign oil. “As America experiences the rise and fall of gas prices alongside the rise and fall of al-Qaida leadership and other Middle Eastern despots, it is time to tell the oil sheiks funding terror networks that America needs their oil as much as we need their sand,” Markey said. Source: David Shepardson Detroit News Washington Bureau

GREEN NEWS NOW

Americans Ready For Electric Vehicles

Posted on April 27, 2011 by quest

Plug-in electric vehicles may just be entering the market, but most U.S. consumers are ready to buy them. E Source recently analyzed data from the Nielsen Energy Survey and found that 85 percent of U.S. consumers say they would purchase a battery-driven car either right away (3 percent), when their current car needed replacement (57 percent), or when the technology is proven and it becomes more mainstream (25 percent). The caveat is that consumers strongly prefer (58 percent) plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) versions such as the Chevrolet Volt. PHEVs have greater range than electric-only cars like the Nissan Leaf and only 8 percent of consumers prefer them. “We are seeing a substantial willingness for drivers to move to plug-in electric vehicles, but only if the manufacturers can provide the easy extended range of travel that Americans are used to,” says Bill LeBlanc, senior advisor at E Source.

E Source also reports that younger drivers are more willing than older drivers to purchase the electric-only cars, and people who describe themselves as liberals are similarly more inclined to desire the all-electric cars than those classified as conservatives. “We see that all ages and all political mindsets like the plug-in hybrid vehicles equally,” says LeBlanc. “But when it comes to the all-electric car, it appears to be seen as more of a ‘green’ purchase, rather than as a practical upgrade to a more-efficient vehicle.”

Another factor that E Source looked at was how far people drive each day and how that affects their desire for a plug-in electric vehicle. Daily driving habits don’t seem to affect desire for the all-electric vehicle; however, desire for the PHEV grows as people spend more time in their cars. “Overall, the survey supports the existence of a huge untapped market for electric vehicles that can be charged at night at home. People seem very ready to move to the next generation of cars and dramatically decrease the frequency of their visits to the gas station,” reports LeBlanc.

GREEN CAREERS

Cali & New York Large for Electric Vehicles

Posted on February 14, 2011 by quest

The growth of the plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) market in the United States will require significant preparation by industry players who are working on setting up recharging station networks, developing product and production plans, and allocating precious marketing resources. Adoption of PEVs will vary significantly by geography, and as state and local government officials as well as utility managers plan for the arrival of grid-connected vehicles, they need to understand where those vehicles are going to be located and what the impact could be.

According to a new report from Pike Research, the metropolitan areas with the largest number of PEVs on the road in the next several years will include New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. The cleantech market intelligence firm also forecasts that certain utilities, such as Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas & Electric, will need to prepare for the arrival of PEVs in much larger numbers than their counterparts in other regions.

“Electric vehicle adoption will follow markedly different patterns in various parts of the country,” says senior analyst Dave Hurst. “Demographics, consumer attitudes, city and utility infrastructure, and manufacturer launch plans will all have an influence on the uptake of PEVs in different areas.” Pike Research forecasts that the top 5 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) for cumulative electric vehicle purchases between 2011 and 2017 will be:

START BUILDING GREEN

3M Installs Electric Vehicle Charging Station

Posted on February 12, 2011 by quest

3M is the first company headquarters in Minnesota to install a ChargePoint Network electric vehicle charging station that will accommodate cars like the Chevrolet VOLT and Nissan LEAF electric car. The station was unveiled today at 3M Center. “Installing the latest technology to charge electric vehicles at our corporate headquarters was an easy decision. Innovation is a way of life at 3M, and this is a great way to align our culture with a continued commitment to reduce impact on the environment and underline the connection between 3M values and sustainability,” said Jean Sweeney, vice president, 3M Environmental, Health and Safety Operations.

The station is the first of two that 3M will have installed on its campus to serve employees and their guests. Both charging stations will be part of the ChargePoint Network by Coulomb Technologies. Electric vehicle owners can access the network on-line to identify nearby charging stations during their trip or daily commute. Drivers can even tell which stations are immediately available via smart phone applications while traveling. In addition to the two dedicated charging stations that will be linked to the ChargePoint Network, 3M has also equipped additional parking spaces with upgraded electrical service.

“What we’re doing at 3M Center is indicative of our corporate-wide commitment. Due to our energy reduction efforts, improvements to manufacturing processes, product reformulation, and pollution control equipment, 3M has reduced global greenhouse gas emissions by 77 percent since 1990,” said Sweeney. “This is just another step in support of our commitment to environmental responsibility.”

SUSTAINABILITY IN EFFECT

Why Are There Still No Flying Cars?

Posted on February 10, 2011 by quest

Second Installment From BMW Documentaries, ‘The Future Just Isn’t What It Used To Be‘, Launches Today Online

“The Future Just Isn’t What It Used To Be,” chapter two of the BMW Documentaries Film series Wherever You Want To Go, premieres today online at bmwactivatethefuture.com. The film takes a critical look at some of the industry’s earliest predictions for the evolution of planes and automobiles to understand why aviation has progressed much further than automobiles even though both are roughly the same age. The short documentary evaluates which predictions we got right, which can be improved, which should be changed and why we are unlikely to ever travel in a flying car despite our many attempts to build one.

“The Future Just Isn’t What it Used To Be” features many of the same thought leaders found in chapter one, “The New City”, including Astronaut Buzz Aldrin; Futurist and conceptual designer for Blade Runner, Aliens and Tron, Syd Mead; Google VP Marissa Mayer; ZipCar founder Robin Chase; Treehugger.com founder Graham Hill; Ridelust.com editor-in-chief Mike Musto; and Reinventing the Automobile co-author Lawrence Burns. They are joined in chapter two by BMW DesignWorks USA President Laurenz Shaffer; Virgin Galactic President & CEO George Whitesides; MIT Sloan Director of Automotive Professor Wai Chang; and Human Business Works President & CEO Chris Brogan.
Director: Kurt Mattila. Production company: Prologue Pictures. Run time: 6 min 42 sec.

DRIVE ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Honda to Showcase Electric Vehicle Innovations at Sundance Film Festival

Posted on January 14, 2011 by quest

At this year’s 2011 (Jan 20 – 30) Sundance Film Festival Honda will showcase unique Honda products highlighting innovation, environmental leadership and advanced technology. Festival attendees and local residents will have the opportunity to visit the “Honda Power of Dreams Experience.” The venue is open to the public free of charge. Honda’s FCX Clarity a fuel cell electric vehicle and a cutaway of the Honda CR-Z Sport Hybrid, the first hybrid with a 6-speed manual transmission in addition to other Honda innovations will be display such as a 12-foot scale model of the HondaJet, Honda’s first advanced light business jet; and Honda motorcycle products, including a Honda Gold Wing with the industry’s first motorcycle airbag, a Honda CBR250R entry-level motorcycle, a Honda PCX mid-size scooter and an interactive motorcycle rider safety and training simulator.

The “Honda Power of Dreams Experience” will feature live 10-minute demonstrations of the world’s most advanced humanoid robot, ASIMO (Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility). Designed to someday assist people in their homes, ASIMO is the culmination of more than two decades of research and development by Honda engineers. ASIMO demonstrations will take place hourly starting at 10 a.m. and ending at 4 p.m. In the exhibit, Honda will also premiere “The Undying Dream,” the eighth and newest film in its popular “DREAM THE IMPOSSIBLE” Documentary Series. “The Undying Dream” features Big Wave professional surfer Laird Hamilton, along with motorcycle racers and Honda associates (employees) sharing stories about what happens when a dream takes hold of you and drives you to succeed. “The Undying Dream” was directed by Sundance Film Festival two-time Grand Jury Prize Winner, Ondi Timoner (Cool It, We Live in Public, Join Us, Dig!). The film will screen at the Honda Power of Dreams venue every hour on the half hour.

Honda has been a supporter of the Sundance Institute and an official sponsor of the Sundance Film Festival for three years. Honda is also the exclusive sponsor of Sundance Channel’s “Interview” program at the Honda Power of Dreams Studio at the Sundance Film Festival. This program will feature talent from the 2011 Sundance Film Festival selections and will run on Sundance Channel, online and via Video on Demand. In addition, Honda is sponsoring a Sundance Institute video vignette that highlights the work of the Sundance Institute Labs in supporting independent filmmaking. The vignette will premiere at an official Dramatic Competition film premiere during the opening weekend of Sundance and will rotate prior to every Dramatic Film screening at the Sundance Film Festival. The vignette also will run on Sundance Channel, online and via Video on Demand.