Toyota to build electric SUV in Canada

TORONTO (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Co will build its first electric vehicle produced outside Japan in the Canadian province of Ontario as part of a multimillion-dollar public-private project announced in July.

The automaker will build the vehicle -- an electric version of the RAV4 SUV -- at its plant in Woodstock, Ontario, the Canadian government said in a release on Friday.

Toyota plans to invest as much as C$545 million ($558 million) in the overall project. Known as Operation Green Light, the plan includes upgrades at other Toyota plants in Ontario, the country's industrial heartland.

The Canadian government will chip in C$70.84 million toward C$506 million-worth of Operation Green Light, with Ontario providing another C$70.84 million toward the project's C$545 million total.

The RAV4 venture is a joint project with Tesla Motors Inc. The compact crossover electric vehicles (EV) will be built on the same line as the gasoline-powered RAV4 at the Woodstock plant, about 135 km (84 miles) southwest of Toronto.

"It's a very significant vehicle for Toyota," said Jesse Toprak, an analyst at automotive website Truecar.com.

"This is the first full EV vehicle that is going to be sold in volume and the success of this vehicle is more or less going to set the pace of EV sales for not only Toyota, but also the industry."

A big appeal of the EV RAV4 is that it is going to be the first fully electric SUV, which is a segment that is product-hungry, Toprak said.

Toyota will pay Tesla around $100 million to supply the electric powertrain, which includes the battery, motor, gearbox and power electronics for the RAV4 EV.

The electric powertrains will be built at Tesla's production facility in Palo Alto, California, and then shipped to Woodstock for final assembly in the vehicle.

Canadian governments have a history of supporting automakers operating in the country. Vehicle manufacturers and auto parts makers employ thousands of workers in Canada, mostly in Ontario, its industrial heartland.

"We worked hard to become North America's number one producer of cars," Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty said. "To stay on top, we need to produce the next generation of cars that use clean technology."

Canada's federal and provincial governments joined with the U.S. government in providing billions of dollars in loans to keep the industry afloat as the global economic crisis led to a steep falloff in car sales worldwide.

Toyota said details on U.S. pricing and distribution of the electric RAV4 would be announced later. A decision about sales in Canada has not yet been made.

($1=$0.98 Canadian)

(Reporting by John McCrank; editing by Janet Guttsman and Rob Wilson)

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Oregon Department of Transportation Selects AeroVironment to Build First Phase of West Coast “Green Highway” Along ...

{"s" : "avav","k" : "a00,a50,b00,b60,c10,g00,h00,l10,p20,t10,v00","o" : "","j" : ""} Press Release Source: AeroVironment, Inc. On Wednesday June 1, 2011, 9:10 am EDT

MONROVIA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVAV - News) today announced that it has been selected by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODoT) to install its high-power Level 3 electric vehicle (EV) fast charging stations along the I-5 corridor from the California state line to the Willamette Valley. This is the beginning of the “Green Highway,” a vision for safe and consistent charging infrastructure spanning the West Coast, allowing EV drivers to travel with confidence from San Diego to Vancouver, B.C.

AeroVironment, selected to provide charging stations for the Nissan LEAF and BMW ActiveE, and co-developer of the first modern day EV, will install the fast charging stations along a 150-mile span of the I-5. The stations will be placed at convenient locations and will allow drivers to recharge their electric vehicles from a fully-discharged state in less than 30 minutes.

“Fast charging stations along high-traffic transportation corridors will help make driving electric vehicles between communities a viable option for Oregonians,” said Art James, project director with the Oregon Department of Transportation. “The state of Oregon is committed to providing EV drivers with practical, safe and reliable EV recharging infrastructure, which is why we selected AeroVironment as one of our partners. AeroVironment secured this contract for the southern leg of the ‘EV Green Highway’ project by demonstrating its support, customer service, and price and value.”

AeroVironment’s Level 3 fast charging stations deliver high-power, DC charging for EV drivers with very little time to spare, mirroring the way drivers currently use gasoline stations. The fast charging stations are CHAdeMO compliant, meaning that they are compatible with fast-charge capable EV models such as the Nissan LEAF. The company’s proprietary charging system is based on proven technology that has made AeroVironment a leading provider of heavy-duty EV fast chargers, supporting some of the most demanding supply chains in the world.

“Oregon is demonstrating tremendous leadership in advancing the ‘Green Highway,’” said Mike Bissonette, senior vice president and general manager of Efficient Energy Systems for AeroVironment. “We look forward to working with ODoT and other stakeholders in the state to design the optimal corridor to support local and long-distance travelers.”

AeroVironment will analyze driving distances, common destinations, vehicle range and other factors in its selection of the EV fast charging sites at eight interchanges identified by ODOT along a 150-mile segment of the I-5 in Southern Oregon. The company is also experienced in working with utilities and will collaborate with local utilities to prepare for the deployment. The company anticipates installing the fast charging stations along Oregon’s “Green Highway” by the end of this fall. The project is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) awarded through the State Energy Program (SEP). The U.S. Department of Energy administers the funds, approves the projects and reviews the state’s progress.

In addition to 480-volt fast charging stations AeroVironment also provides J-1772 compliant 240-volt Level 2 charging stations, installation and support services and data communications network services. More than 2,000 AeroVironment Level 2 charging stations have been installed in 21 U.S. states since late 2010.

About AeroVironment, Inc.

AeroVironment is a technology solutions provider that designs, develops, produces and supports an advanced portfolio of electric transportation solutions and electric-powered Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). AeroVironment’s comprehensive EV charging solutions include EV home charging, public charging, fast charging, data collection, grid-integrated communications and complete installation, training and support services for consumers, automakers, utilities, government agencies and businesses. AeroVironment’s industrial fast charging systems support thousands of electric materials handling vehicles in mission-critical supply chains for Fortune 500 enterprises. AeroVironment’s power cycling and test systems provide EV developers and EV battery manufacturers with market-leading simulation and cycling capabilities. Agencies of the U.S. Department of Defense and allied military services use the company’s battery-powered, hand-launched unmanned aircraft systems to provide situational awareness to tactical operating units through real-time, airborne reconnaissance, surveillance and communication. More information is available at www.avinc.com and www.evsolutions.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

Certain statements in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are made on the basis of current expectations, forecasts and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, economic, competitive, governmental and technological factors outside of our control, that may cause our business, strategy or actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, our ability to perform under existing contracts and obtain additional contracts; changes in the regulatory environment; the activities of competitors; failure of the markets in which we operate to grow; failure to expand into new markets; failure to develop new products or integrate new technology with current products; and general economic and business conditions in the United States and elsewhere in the world. For a further list and description of such risks and uncertainties, see the reports we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We do not intend, and undertake no obligation, to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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Hawaii to build electric car charging stations

Posted: Saturday, March 19th, 2011 7:49 AM HST Hawaii to build electric car charging stations HONOLULU (AP) ? About 250 electric vehicle charging stations are being built across Hawaii to provide a power boost to the short-range vehicles.

Private companies and government agencies announced Friday they'll use $2.6 million in federal stimulus money to build the stations, which are a few feet high and plug into electric vehicles like the Nissan Leaf or the Chevy Volt.

The grant recipients pitched in $2 million in matching funds to receive the money.

While there are only about 18 commercial electric cars on Hawaii's roads so far, those numbers are expected to jump into the hundreds over the next few months.

Building the charging stations creates an incentive for Hawaii residents to buy electric cars and feel comfortable they won't get stranded if their vehicles run out of fuel.

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Convert2EV: Build An Electric Car, 75% Commission

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Electric Vehicle Kits - Build Your Own Electric Car

With rising fuel costs, more and more people and are looking for alternatives. One such alternative that is gaining popularity, especially with the do-it yourself types, are the electric vehicle kits. Anyone familiar with automobiles can now use these kits to convert traditional gas powered vehicles to one powered by electric current.

However, converting a traditional Gas powered vehicle into an electric vehicle can be a very daunting task. Only those who are the very mechanically minded should try this. To convert the vehicle will require extensive modifications to nearly all-mechanical parts of the car. Everything from the engine to the radiator, heater and air-conditioning, to the gauges on the panel. On top of that, the electric cars have to be recharged on a regular basis, which means having to purchase or use the services of recharging station. Solar power could be another potential source of power for the electric vehicle.

Can any car be converted into an electric vehicle?

Unfortunately, the answer is no. Not all cars can be converted into an electric vehicle. However, and the most common electric vehicle kit seems to be the Chevy S-10 pick up kit. For examples to follow just do a search online for Chevy S-10 pickup Electric conversions.

Other cars that are good candidates for conversion are the Chevy Geo, especially from 1989 to 1999. These cars are good potential candidates for an electric vehicle kit conversion. Cars similar to the Chevy Geo Metro, such as the Chevy Sprint, Pontiac Firefly and the Suzuki Swift are also ideal for conversions too.

Are there downsides to using an electric vehicle kit?

Going back a few years, many people associated electric powered vehicles with slowness and a lack of power. But as usual, thanks to technology, significant advances in the electric vehicle have changed all that. With these electric vehicle kits some cars can reach top speeds of between 70 and 75 mph. nonetheless, converting to electric power still has its drawbacks.

The biggest drawback it is of course the need for recharging the batteries. As an example, the Chevy Geo Metro kit must be recharged every 20 to 40 miles, depending on driving habits and battery quality. For city driving, this would be ideal. However, for lengthy commutes on the highway, this would not be ideal.

The Chevy S-10 with an electric vehicle kit installed will run a little longer on a single charge. On a single charge, the S-10 should last between 40 and 60 miles. Again this depends upon the driving habits as well as the size and quality of batteries. Some S-10 models can be equipped with solar powered panels which would in reduced in the need for charging, at least when driving during daylight hours.

Converting vehicles with electric vehicle kits is not a cheap affair. Most conversion kits seem to cost between $8000 to $10,000. And this does not even include professional installation as well as the cost of the batteries, not to mention access to or the purchase of a charging station.

Quite frankly, with the cost involved of using an electric vehicle kit, it probably wouldn't be very practical for the average consumer, especially if they do a lot of highway driving. However, that being said, it probably would be ideal for a back yard mechanic who loves to tinker with cars and has a few bucks to throw around and wants to impress his beer-drinking buddies.

Kerry Ng is a successful Webmaster and publisher of The Hybrid Cars Blog. Click here for more great helpful information about Hybrid Cars: http://www.hybridcarsinfoblog.com/build-your-own-electric-vehicle