NYC will survey residents on electric cars
Mitsubishi i MiEV - click above for high-res image gallery
It is common for cities to contribute to the electric vehicle world by working with automakers and/or utilities to build EV charging stations. New York City will be taking a slightly different road when the city's Economic Development Corp. finds a group to conduct a study on ways to encourage drivers in the city to switch to electric vehicles. The New York Post reports that the EDC is looking for bids for a fast-track study "on the set of levers to encourage electric-vehicle adoption." The city hopes to have the results by the end of September. An adviser to Mayor Bloomberg told the Post that any EV facilities in the city would be open to the public. "This is going beyond city vehicles," he said. "If it's worth doing, it's worth doing in the private sector."
The city's Street Condition Observation Unit (aka the pothole and graffiti squad) will use 10 MINI Es in its work.
Gallery: Electric MINI E
[Source: New York Post]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
jharlan 6:59PM (5/16/2009)
Let me get this straight. They need taxpayer money to employ a private
contractor to figure out how to get people to switch to electric
cars, is that it? That is so New Yokk
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John Pelletier 8:07PM (5/16/2009)
yep something like that. to be fair many many people still think electrics are golf carts (GEM and other NEV's dont help that) so many people are not aware of the capabilities of electrics and thus dont have proper understanding. all they hear is hype on hydrogen.
harlanx6 8:58PM (5/16/2009)
I am pretty impressed with the Tesla, although they are struggling with capitalization. I think we'll probably have to go through a PHEV stage before electrical storage technology catches up to the demands of range.
Throwback 2:44PM (5/17/2009)
As a native New Yorker that is so UN-New York. New Yorkers take mass transit for the most part. Who are they trying to convince to buy electric cars? Cabbies?
Stan Wellaway 4:32AM (5/17/2009)
harlanx6 - the range issue is certainly critical to widespread acceptance of electric cars. But there are areas in which this isn't an issue, and where EVs are ready for immediate purchase and use. I refer to depot-based delivery fleets, which cover known routes with a multiplicity of stop-starts but with a predictable mileage - returning to base where they recharge overnight or can swap battery packs. Every local postal service fits this category, as do many local retail fleets. Check out the Case Studies page at http://www.smithelectricvehicles.com for examples of hundreds of all-electric trucks and vans now operating in the UK.
This is a big enough sector to make a significant impact on public awareness of what BEVs can do. And there is no excuse for not adopting them (except the upfront purchase cost - which can in some cases be overcome via imaginative leasing arrangements, and which will progressively fall as production volumes grow). Fleet quantity orders are the fastest way to kickstart volume production of automotive batteries, which in turn should help bring down battery prices for electric cars.
Smith have recently established a US base in Kansas City, Missouri, where the first large trucks are expected to roll off the production line this summer. And they are the partner chosen by Ford US for their small electric van, the Transit Connect BEV. Details of which are on the sev-us.com website. Ford are also touting a 5-8 seat passenger version, the Tourneo BEV, which I think stands a good chance of going into production next year.
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John Pelletier 5:21AM (5/17/2009)
keep an eye on Smith, they are going to be big in the US. smith and modec both uk based have been around for a number of years and have fleet trucks running all over the uk in most major cities, tnt (like fedex) uses them a lot as well for urban work.
Mark 12:10PM (5/17/2009)
What prices are those vans and trucks? Also do you have to lease the battery as I didn't find anything on the site about having to lease.
David Wright 3:25PM (5/17/2009)
Mark - electric trucks inclusive of batteries are typically twice the price of a diesel truck at present.
Smith sell theirs inclusive of batteries - though it is also possible to do so via fleet finance leasing companies, so that the upront purchase price is rolled in with the hugely reduced maintenance and fuel cost over a multiyear contract.
Modec (ModecZEV.com) sell theirs 'batteries-not-included' and charge a monthly rental fee for the battery pack which they retain ownership of. Modec recently teamed up with Navistar (pictures of Modec electric vans now appear on Navistar's website) to help them get a toehold in the US.
Smith outsell Modec about 3 to 1.
Rahul 1:12PM (5/17/2009)
This is first step in Obama's dream to have 1 million green vehicles running on American roads. Mitsubishihas a wonderful car - i MiEV- in its portfolio. It could make consumers forget all about the other cars in its line-up. It is the future of mobility. What price is an i MiEV?
Rahul
Indian Car Advisor (Carazoo.com)
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Mark 8:43AM (5/18/2009)
I think about $25000
Zeph 8:52AM (5/18/2009)
When the autoindustry wants to make a new combustion car they just do it and market it. For electrics there is all this burocracy and food dragging. We get it, a lot of people don't want electrics to be successfull.
Nevertheless electrics are the future, simpler engineering, more efficient use of power, more decentralized and versatile source of energy.
So just build them and they will be sold.
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