Miles EVs doing Mile High duty for Dems in Denver
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It's not all beer-powered trucks at the Democratic National Convention in Denver this week. Aside from the Daily Show's interest in electric vehicles and Daryl Hannah, there are more alternatives in action. Like the pure electric vehicles from Miles EV that are in town to help volunteers get around the downtown area without using gasoline. Miles PR says that the Democratic party's "Denver Director of Greening" (how do you get that job?) thought the Miles vehicles - a ZX40S and a MILES ZX40ST Work Truck - would work well to move people and goods. Read all the glowing words after the jump. Tom Tomorrow has been enjoying the Greenest. Convention. Ever. as well.
[Source: Miles EV]
PRESS RELEASE:
Miles Electric Vehicles Helps Democratic National Committee Convention Go Green with All Electric, Zero Tailpipe Emissions Vehicles
Santa Monica, Calif., August 25, 2008 – Miles Electric Vehicles, a California based all electric vehicle manufacturer, announced today that its all electric vehicles will be used at the Democratic National Committee Convention by Host Committee volunteers to shuttle staff members and supplies around downtown Denver.
"Miles Electric Vehicles is honored to be a part of the DNCC's 2008 greening efforts and hopes that the use of our vehicles will illustrate the utility of all electric vehicles on a larger scale," said MILES EV CEO Kevin Czinger.
With the DNCC's commitment to creating a sustainable event, it is no surprise that Denver Director of Greening for the DNCC, Parry Burnap, reached out to MILES for help with the event. The zero emissions vehicles, which are easily charged at 110V standard outlet and go about 60 miles on a charge, are a perfect fit for Host Committee members to use around downtown Denver.
"The Democratic Party has been a leader in addressing climate change, environmental preservation and the promotion of renewable energy use, " said Andrea Robinson, DNCC Director of Sustainability and Greening. "We aim to lead by example ... to help educate the public as well as Convention attendees about making more sustainable choices in their own day-to-day activities," she said.
Using Miles Electric Vehicles to chauffer supplies and staff members is only one facet of the DNCC's greening efforts. The 2008 DNCC also provided online resources and sustainable education tools on their website, assembled a "Green Team" to achieve their goal of a minimum of an 85% waste diversion rate at the Pepsi Center and the Colorado Convention Center, chose an Energy Star office building for their headquarters, and required their official vehicle provider to supply an entire fleet of fuel-efficient and alternative fuel vehicles for transport among other things.
ABOUT MILES ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
Founded in 2005 by activist/entrepreneur Miles Rubin and headquartered in Santa Monica, Calif., Miles Electric Vehicles is dedicated to changing the world one car at a time. The company is now successfully marketing a line of low speed, all electric cars and trucks, which combine the best of US electric motor and controller technology with China's advanced battery and vehicle manufacturing capabilities. All MILES vehicles conform to US NHTSA standards and are manufactured with safety as a primary consideration. To date the company has built a prestigious fleet customer base that includes the City of Chicago, NASA, UCLA, Cal State Polytechnic University, and others.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Dave B 7:34PM (8/26/2008)
Anybody else notice the sedan set for production in US at the end of 2008 with highway capable speeds and safety is nowhere to be found...
Reply
zenlia 3:17PM (8/27/2008)
They aren't showing it because it is still being tested. At least MILES isn't just showing a "shell" like GM. They actually have a WORKING prototype that they've shown to select media (Forbes article in June).
Randy C. 9:07PM (8/26/2008)
Good!
Maybe we can get through to these idiotic politicians what electric cars can do for this country. Electric cars are the cheapest and fastest way to solve the dual problems of oil dependence and environmental pollution including global warming. We will have to wait to long for hydrogen powered cars to become as convenient and inexpensive as gas cars. Currently bio fuels can't be made in enough quantity to make a difference without affecting food production.
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montoym 8:56PM (8/27/2008)
Quote from Randy C. -
"We will have to wait to long for hydrogen powered cars to become as convenient and inexpensive as gas cars." -
So, what makes electric cars so different than Hydrogen in that respect?
I don't see a single electric vehicle out there which can do 75mph down the highway, travel 300+ miles on a charge and be recharged as easily as filling a gas tank is now. Not very convenient if you ask me.
Until a vehicle like that is available, electric cars will continue to be a novelty idea. I'm not doubting that it can happen, but it's at least as far away as a hydrogen-powered economy for us.
Another quote - "Electric cars are the cheapest and fastest way to solve the dual problems of oil dependence and environmental pollution including global warming." -
So, the cheapest way to go about it is to force people to buy one? Without buyers, your grand ideas aren't going anywhere.
What you are basically asking is for people to pony up some $20K(pure guess on cost) for an EV that goes 50miles at a top speed of 40mph. So, this won't be a main car for most families. They can't take it on the highway, for speed and range reasons, and it probably takes overnight to charge(or at least a few hours). So, forget about taking any long trips on it unless you have a lot of free time. I'm not a fan of trips that require a couple hour stop every 40 miles or so.
So, in addition to this EV, they'll need to have a more conventional vehicle for all those other purposes that people tend to use their cars for.
Your more cost-effective way to go about seems to be to have people buy one of these in addition to their regular vehicle(s)? That's some serious extra coin to spend on a single-purpose vehicle.
I see the Smart Fortwo similarly. It only carries 2 people, have very limited cargo capacity, and is not something I'd like to drive on the highway more than a few miles. I'm also just not a financial position to buy a vehicle like that which will really only be used for commuting. I think 95% of the buying public is in the same boat. Just look at the monthly auto sales, people aren't buying many cars period, much less extra vehicles that serve only a single purpose.