ODOT office to get electric vehicle

The Oregon Department of Transportation will take a step toward the future next week when an all-electric vehicle is added to the transportation fleet at the department’s Corvallis office.

The Nissan Leaf that is scheduled to arrive today is one of five all-electric vehicles that the department will place in fleets in Corvallis, Portland and Salem this year.

The required charging stations have been installed in Corvallis and Portland and are under construction in the Salem area. The new car will go to work immediately in the department’s Corvallis office

“We are committed to driving the vehicle a minimum of 600 miles per month and we’ll begin training our employees on how to charge and drive the vehicle starting next Tuesday,” said Vivian Payne, the manager of the department’s Area 4. “We are committed to driving the vehicle a minimum of 600 miles per month and we’ll begin training our employees on how to charge and drive the vehicle starting next Tuesday,” she said.

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Preston Nissan of Salisbury, MD Announces that the NISSAN LEAF Has Earned Top Safety Pick From IIHS

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New electric and hybrid vehicle technology given the fast track

Four federal legislators, including Massachusetts Congressman Edward Markey, D-7th, today introduced legislation designed to fast track the deployment of energy-saving electric vehicle and plug-in hybrid technologies.

The Electric Drive Vehicle Deployment Act will provide grants to help regional communities establish themselves as models for the successful development, installation, and deployment of advanced electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure, including public charging stations.? The bill also offers consumer incentives for the purchase of EVs, promotes utility modernization to accommodate EV deployment, provides assistance for the installation of charging infrastructure, and encourages domestic production of EV components.
“As America experiences the rise and fall of gas prices alongside the rise and fall of al Qaeda 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,” said Markey, Ranking Member on the House Natural Resources Committee and senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.? “The Electric Drive Vehicle Deployment Act will help the nation get off foreign oil and move forward with a comprehensive strategy that helps consumers buy all-electric vehicles powered by wind farms in the northeast and midwest instead of oil from the Middle East.? It’s time for America to start driving toward a clean, safe energy future, and electric vehicles can help power the way.”
The bill authorizes the Secretary of Energy to competitively award up to $300 million to each of 10 different deployment communities around the country.? These communities will then serve as domestic hubs for EV manufacturing and deployment, as well as proving grounds for best practices.
The Electric Drive Vehicle Deployment Act guarantees a consumer benefit of at least $2,000 (beyond existing tax credits or other federal and local incentives) for the first 50,000 EV consumers within each deployment community.? In addition, it extends to 2014 federal tax credits for the purchase and installation of electric vehicle charging equipment for individuals (up to $2,000) or businesses (up to $50,000 for multiple equipment purchases). Finally, the bill authorizes additional development, deployment and manufacturing incentives for EV technologies, including bond authority and a limited number of smaller grants for municipalities not selected as deployment communities.

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Province promotes electric driving

It's quieter than sending an email, and almost like gliding if you're used to driving a clunker.

It's Mitsubishi's new i-MiEV full-electric vehicle, one of two introduced recently at the legislative building. They will be tested on Manitoba's roads and highways in the coming months.

Like other electric vehicles and some hybrids, the battery-powered car makes no noise when you turn the key or hit the "gas" pedal -- it just goes.

The two tiny white cars are the latest entry in the province's expanding plan to put 4,000 electric vehicles on the road by 2015, the start of what the province says will be a sea change in how we drive to work, to the cottage and to the kids' hockey practice.

"If you remember your Commodore computers several years ago, they are but mere toys today," Energy and Mines Minister Dave Chomiak said in explaining the difference.

The latest part of Manitoba's push to electrify streets and highways involves an evolving relationship with Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada. In December, the province inked a similar deal with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to develop a prototype electric bus with New Flyer Industries.

With the i-MiEV, Manitoba and Mitsubishi have agreed to test the car here in our winters and summers to learn what can be done to adapt the vehicle to our climate's extremes, Chomiak said.

"We'll gain valuable information about the batteries and the charging systems," said Koji Soga, president and CEO of Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada.

Chomiak also got the wheels rolling on what the province calls its Electric Vehicle Road Map, a new policy aimed at not only getting more Manitobans to park their gas-guzzling vehicles, but to first test and then capitalize on local expertise to further develop electricvehicle technology.

Chomiak said one part of the plan is creating an advisory committee to tell government how it can further encourage the use of electric cars, such as incentives to purchase one. Electric cars aren't cheap -- the i-MiEV will cost about $30,000 when it comes on the market later this year.

With an electric vehicle or hybrid, the cost of fuel is considerably less.

"If you could compare the price of, say, a litre of gas, which is now at about $1.20 a litre, the equivalent price in Manitoba in electricity is six to 20 cents a litre," Chomiak said.

One of the complaints about electric and hybrid vehicle technology is keeping the car warm when winter driving.

Mitsubishi vice-president of sales and marketing Tomoki Yanagawa said the i-MiEV will have an internal electric heating system without draining the battery.

Dave Connell, chairman of the Manitoba Electric Vehicle Association, said there are several people driving electric vehicles year-round in Manitoba.

"We have four daily drivers, e-conversions, and all of them drive daily throughout the winter and in the summer. It's extremely practical today," Connell said.

bruce.owen@freepress.mb.ca

CAR FACTS

700,000 vehicles (all types) on road in Manitoba

40,000 to 50,00 new vehicles sold each year

More than 1,600 hybrid electric vehicles licensed since 2006

$2 billion to $3 billion leaves province each year through fuel purchases

For every 20-cent increase at the pump, about $500 million leaves province

Manitoba has more than 500,000 plug-in points at homes, businesses and parking lots

The cost of charging an electric vehicle varies with the vehicle type, but officials say it's nothing compared with what you pay at the pump.

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ZAP Jonway to Hold Annual Meeting of Shareholders on June 20, 2011

Press Release Source: ZAP 21:58, Tuesday 3 May 2011

SANTA ROSA, Calif.--(BUSINESSWIRE)--

Electric vehicle pioneer ZAP is moving its previously announced June 15, 2011 annual meeting of shareholders (the “Annual Meeting”) to June 20, 2011 and will hold the Annual Meeting at the Hyatt Residency San Francisco Airport at 1333 Bayshore Highway, Burlingame, CA 94010. Shareholders of record at the close of business on April 25, 2011, the record date, will be entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting. The Company will mail and provide access to its definitive proxy materials to its shareholders prior to the Annual Meeting.

About ZAP Jonway

On January 21, 2011, ZAP completed its acquisition of 51% of the equity shares of Zhejiang Jonway Automobile Co. Ltd. Together, ZAP Jonway combines ZAP’s 16 year experience in electric vehicle design and Jonway’s volume automobile manufacturing in China. ZAP Jonway supplies electric trucks and vans to the military, government and corporate fleets and is one of the early pioneers of electric motorcycles, scooters and ATVs. ZAP Jonway offers a product line of all-electric trucks, vans, sedans, and motorcycles in production today. ZAP Jonway news and information is available at http://www.zapworld.com.

Contact

ZAP Jonway USA
Alex Campbell, +1-707-525-8658 ext. 241
acampbell@zapworld.com
or
ZAP Jonway China
Jessica Gao, +86 13511038395
juan.gao@zapworld.com

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Blog - Electric Vehicle Bragging Rights

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ODOT Adds All-Electric Vehicle to Corvallis Fleet

By Heather Turner

CORVALLIS, Ore. -- It's one of the newest "green" cars on the market, the Nissan Leaf.? And Tuesday, some ODOT employees learned a little more about how the energy-efficient car works.

It's all part of their leading role in the transportation electrification project.

While it's new to the market, the Nissan Leaf is also the newest member of ODOT's Corvallis transportation fleet.

"It's very important to introduce new technology, reduce green house gas emissions and our dependence on foreign oil," said Bruce Erickson, ODOT fleet services manager.

It's just one of five that will eventually be placed in fleets in Corvallis, Salem and Portland.

The Leaf is an alternative to other vehicles employees would normally drive.

"For the light fleet vehicles commuting between here and other metropolitan areas, these are perfect," said Erickson.

The Corvallis office committed to driving the vehicle around 600 miles per month.

"We're very excited to be on the cutting edge of this deployment of the electrification of our transportation system and recognize this is a first step and just really thrilled," said Vivian Payne, ODOT area manager, Corvallis office.

Employees trained Tuesday will be among a core group who will drive the Leaf most frequently.

Quite the change from what they're used to driving, but one they say is worth the positive effects it'll have on the environment.

"It's really an exciting time as we look to the future and how we can contribute to a more sustainable transportation system," said Payne.

The five Leafs were paid for by state gas tax dollars to replace some older vehicles.

And with each one, they've received free home charging stations paid for by a federal grant.

ODOT will also install 30 EV fast-charging stations across Oregon for the public's use.? Paid for by federal funds and expected to be completed by the end of 2012.

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