Category Archives: Management

Think Looking At Three States For Electric Vehicle Plant

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Indiana, Michigan and Oregon have made Think’s final list of states for their electric vehicle plant.  The company is also in the early stages of applying for loans from the US government under what is believed to be the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing loan program.

Indiana could be the front runner among the states since battery manufacturer Ener1, which is a battery supplier for Think and owns a 31% stake in the company, will be producing the batteries in Indiana.  Another Think battery supplier, A123 Systems, is located in Michigan.  The weight of the vehicle battery packs makes shipping distance and costs a significant issue when deciding plant location.  Learn more:  Earth2tech.com

Electric Vehicles International Opens US Plant

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Electric Vehicles International opened up their new manufacturing facility in Stockton, CA yesterday.  EVI will design and assemble zero-emission, all-electric, medium-duty delivery vehicles and light-duty vehicles using EVI electric motors and controllers made at the location.  The Stockton location will also serve as the company’s world headquarters, previously located in Mexico.  Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger participated in the opening ceremonies.

The medium-duty vehicles are being produced in partnership with Freightliner Custom Chassis and EVI plans to ship 1,000 of the all-electric trucks in 2010.  The vehicles will cost $120,000 to $180,000 and have ranges of 60, 80 and 115 miles depending on the size of the lithium-ion battery pack chosen. The company also plans to enter the plug-in hybrid business, and possibly perform electric conversions of school buses and port equipment as well.  Learn more:  Collisionconcierge.com

Textron Eyeing China Factory

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Last week a story from a Chinese business news service reported that Textron, manufacturer of E-Z-Go vehicles is looking into establishing a plant in China for the production of LSVs.  The company would partner with a Chinese automaker and produce neighborhood electric vehicles powered by lead acid batteries.  The plant would have the potential to produce 10,000 vehicles annually.  The story noted that the Chinese market for NEVs could be ripe given government incentives and their desire for developing clean vehicles.  There was no mention of exporting the vehicles to the US.  Learn more:  blogs.edmunds.com/greencaradvisor

Lightning Motors Set To Enter Small Electric Vehicle Markets

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Lightning Motors founded by Richard Hatfield and a small group of associates from Silicon Valley announced their entry into the electric motorcycle market by producing the fastest production electric motorcycle in the world.  The pre-production prototype achieved a top speed of 267.776 kph (166.388 mph) during the SCTA World Finals at the Bonneville Salt Flats.   The company has prototypes for a less powerful motorcycle, a motor scooter, an ATV/UTV and other sport and utility vehicles in its pre production development program.  Learn more:  Passionperformance.ca

Bad Boy Buggies Recall

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Bad Boy Buggie Standard Model Being Recalled

Bad Boy Buggie Standard Model Being Recalled

Yesterday the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with Bad Boy Enterprises, announced a voluntary recall of the company’s Bad Boy Buggie Standard model. The company has received 32 reports of the vehicles accelerating without warning, which in some cases resulted in injuries. The recall affects models with serial numbers between 85004828 and 95010404. The serial number is located on a sticker in a cubby on the driver’s side. the vehicles were sold between June, 2007 and July, 2009. Consumers should immediately stop using the vehicles and contact their Bad Boy Buggy dealer for a free repair. For additional information, contact Bad Boy Enterprises toll-free at (866) 678-6701 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or visit their website. Learn more: CPSC.gov

Update: Originally the company tried a software patch to fix what they thought was the problem.  While this did reduce instances of the problem, the did not completely solve it.  The company will now be installing a zener diode chip into vehicles as a remedy.  the process should take less than an hour ,and even if you already have the software patch you should still have the new chip installed. Learn more:  Natchezdemocrat.com

South Korean Government Targeting EV Market

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Last week the South Korean government announced plans to accelerate the development of the electric vehicle industry in their country.  Revised plans now call for full-scale production of electric vehicles in 2011 instead of the previous target date of 2013.  The government views the competition to develop the next generation of automobiles and grab market share as important to South Korea’s long term economic health.

A range of automobiles including hybrid, plug-in and fuel cell powered will be supported.  The target goal is for South Korea to account for a 10% share of the global EV production by 2015.  Ironically, the country does not currently allow EVs to be operated on any roads.  However, as part of this initiative, the parliament is passing legislation to allow EVs including NEVs to be driven on the country’s roads.  Learn more:  yonhapnews.co.kr

Cart Mart Acquires Pacific Golf Cars

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Cart Mart, one of the largest distributors of golf car, transportation and industrial vehicles in Southern California, recently announced their acquisition of Pacific Golf Cars.  Pacific Golf Cars has been San Diego’s exclusive Club Car dealer for over thirty years.  The acquisitions adds the Club Car brand to Cart Mart’s existing line-up which includes Yamaha, Taylor-Dunn and Fairplay.  Learn more:  Earthtimes.org.

E-Z-Go Names Five Star Golf Cars As Regional Distributor For the Northeast

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Michael R. Parkhurst, vice president of sales at E-Z-Go, announced that Five Star Golf Cars will be its distributor for golf courses and facilities in northeastern New York and most of New England, including Maine, eastern Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. The Laconia, NH based dealer will sell, service and support E-Z-GO RXV and TXT fleet-golf cars, the MPT line of turf-maintenance vehicles, and the ST line of heavy-duty utility vehicles.  Key personnel at Five Star Golf Cars includes a PGA Golf Professional and a former service manager for a golf-car distributorship.  Learn more:  Worldgolf.com

GM Talking With SAIC About Selling Minitrucks In India

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GM is holding talks with their Chinese Partner SAIC Motor Inc. to explore selling Wuling produced minitrucks for the Indan market.  The Wuling minitrucks are sold in China in 0.3 to 0.8 tonne versions.  The Wuling offers GM a faster entry into the market since relatively few modifications of the existing vehicle platform and technology would be required. SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile is a joint venture between GM and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation(SAIC) of China and Wuling Automobile Co., Ltd. Learn more:  Wheelsunplugged.com

Electric Vehicle Manufacturer CT&T To Open Plants In Pennsylvania

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CT&T LSV

CT&T LSV

Korean electric vehicle maker CT&T plans to open manufacturing and distribution facilities in the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh areas.  The company will be making LSVs, which retail for about $12,000, at each of the locations.  The company expects to employ about 200 people at each facility.   In Philadelphia the company is looking at locations along the Delaware river and in Pittsburgh they have toured five sites in around the city.

CT&T’s long term strategy is to open 40 regional assembly and sales  systems in North America as they target city and municipal fleets in particular.  They currently have a contract to supply California police departments with 4,000 vehicles for use in parking enforcement.

Learn more:  SOAWorldMagazine