If Ameren Illinois wasn't making such a fuss about it, its i MiEV (Mitsubushi innovative Electric Vehicle) might have caught observers by surprise when it rolled up Wednesday at the Ameren Illinois Operating Center in Belleville.
Except for a little tire noise, the vehicle is exceptionally quiet, said Eric Kozak, managing supervisor of the Ameren Illinois fleet.
The i MiEV is a battery-electric vehicle that can travel about 80 miles on a full charge. Ameren Illinois is taking the car around its service area for the next two weeks to show it off.
"We can show our employees and customers what an electric vehicle looks like and discuss the advantages and disadvantages, he said.
Its advantages are that it is quiet, cheap to operate and it can be plugged into an ordinary 110-volt electrical outlet to recharge, he said. Disadvantages include the need to charge it frequently, limited range and high initial price.
Kozak said to charge the car fully for its 80-mile range takes about $2 of electricity. To drive that 80 miles in a normal car at an average of 20 miles per gallon of gasoline at the current price of $3.69 per gallon would be $14.76.
It takes about eight hours to fully charge. For an additional cost, a 220-volt plug is available that will let the car charge a little faster.
"So it is economical," he said. "The initial upfront cost is what is holding it back."
Kozak said Mitsubishi is estimating a $30,000 base price for the car, but it would come with a $7,500 government tax credit. It will be available in 2012.
Kozak said the car has been tested in various outlets at the company and also at employees' homes, and not once has the car failed to charge.
He said that except for the lack of engine noise, the car drives like a normal small car. It has a regenerative braking system that puts a small amount of energy back into the battery when the car is slowing down.
However, alternators have not yet been developed that can recharge the large battery packs while an electric car is in motion.
"Running the heater or air conditioner will reduce the estimated mileage range," he said. "I could see that on the indicator this morning when I turned on the defroster. It dropped, but it came back up when I turned off the defroster."
Kozak said Ameren Illinois customers already are asking questions. Are there going to be charging stations? What do I need to have in my garage?
"We do ask them to contact us when they buy a plug-in car," he said. "If three or four neighbors have the cars, we may need to upgrade the transformers outside. There is no charge for any service up to the electric meter on the house."
He said most people won't need to modify their outlets or do any work inside their houses to accommodate the cars.
Ameren Illinois is in discussions with various groups about charging stations and other issues, such as alternative rates related to the electric cars.
To ask questions or make comments, e-mail the company at corpcomm@ameren.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment