Tomberlin management recently announced that production of their Anvil LSV will begin at the end of July.?? Executives are promoting the vehicle this week with an appearance Monday morning on CBS’ Early Show.?? The Anvil is targeted for planned communities and urban/suburban short-distance trips.?? Learn more:?? Augustachronicle.com
USA Today is speculating that plans to launch the Peapod Mobility this fall are on hold.?? The story is based on the fact that while you can add your name to a waiting list for the vehicles you still cannot place orders on the website.?? Learn more:?? tuningtruck.com
ExxonMobil and Electrovaya just announced, AltCar, a vehicle sharing program to be based at the Maryland Science Center in Baltimore, MD that will use Electrovaya’s Maya 300 low speed vehicle. The fleet of five vehicles will grow to ten shortly and people will be able to rent the vehicles for the day. The Maya 300 uses Electrovaya???s Lithium Ion SuperPolymer battery, which incorporates ExxonMobil Chemical???s separator film. Learn more: greencarcongress.com
Update: According to Green Energy News rental rates for the vehicles will be $14.50 per hour but decrease to $7-9 per hour if you join the sharing program.?? Additional fees apply with the program.
ZAPTruck XL Ready For Shipment
ZAP has begun shipping their ZAPTruck XL, an electric LSV, to the US military for use at military bases around the world.?? The purchase continues the trend by the US military of moving to more fuel efficient and often smaller vehicles for specific on base applications.?? The company did not provide any specific sales figures for the contract.?? Learn more:?? Zapworld.com
Starting September 1, neighborhood electric vehicles will be able to go up to 45 mph in Texas. Learn more:?? Financial Times
RTEV has spun off Wheego Electric Cars so both companies can focus on their respective markets.?? RTEV will focus on cost cutting and selling deeper into their traditional market of electric powered recreational vehicles in a difficult environment for powersports manufacturers.?? Wheego will concentrate on developing the market and distribution for their Wheego Whip LSV product which will go on sale in July of this year.?? Management remarked that RTEV will be trying to optimize cash flow while Wheego will be following a more capital intensive strategy to take advantage of what they see as a high growth potential market.?? Learn more?? prnewswire.com
ZENN recently reported that a third party had certified an important technology milestone reached by EEStor.?? Independent tests showed that…
…the main material in the ultracapacitor technology achieved relative permittivity of at least 22,500 over an operating range of -20 to +65 degrees Celsius. Permittivity is a measurement of how much energy can be stored in a material.
Per the agreement with EEStor, reaching the milestone triggers an additional $700,000 payment by ZENN and an opportunity to increase their equity stake.?? The next milestone is to commercialization of the technology, which according to the agreement, is supposed to start by the end of 2009.?? ZENN still plans to incorporate the ultracapacitor technology in vehicles in 2010.?? Learn more:?? cleantech.com
BG Automotive C100 NEV
BG Automotive is now looking in Windsor, Ontario for facilities to assemble their NEV, the C100.?? According to the report, if funding can arranged, the company believes they can be producing vehicles within three months.?? Windsor has an existing automotive manufacturing base and skilled workforce that appeals to the company.
As noted in a previous post, the company plans to develop six facilities around the country which can each produce up to 15,000 vehicles.?? Other states being considered include Connecticut, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Georgia and Massachusetts.?? Learn more?? Windsorstar.com
Zap has announced the development of an 8,000 watt wheel motor which could be incorporated into production vehicles next year if funding is available.?? The new motor is based on technology behind the electric motor used in their scooter, the Zapino.?? The Zapino motor is 3,000 watts and seven inches in diameter compared to 8,000 watts and ten inches for the new motor.?? If wheel motors are incorporated into four-wheel vehicles, the transmission and drive train can be eliminated and more space can be made available for additional batteries.?? Learn more?? marketwire.com
Some trends in this latest regulation roundup:
North Carolina – Bill in the state assembly would add Currituck and New Hanover counties to a state law that allows golf cars on streets in several resort communities.
Pontiac, IL – Ordinance being drafted that would allow the use of modified golf cars as NEVs.
Normal, IL – Considering an ordinance allowing the use of NEVs on city streets.
Merrill, WI – City council passed an ordinance allowing the use of NEVs on city streets.
Colorado – House passed a bill that would allow NEVs on public highways.
Palm Desert, CA – Safety concerns have stalled a bill in the state legislature that would broaden the use of NEVs on city streets.
Minnesota – Legislation has passed both the state house and senate that would allow counties to permit the use of mini-trucks, but not on interstate and state highways.
New York – The state DMV issued an opinion that utility vehicles are not allowed on roads or ATV trails unless the law is changed.
New Strawn, KS – City council approved an ordinance that allows work-site utility vehicles and micro utility vehicles to be driven legally on city streets.
Cushing, OK – Passed an ordinance regulating the operation of mini bikes, golf carts, ATVs and utility vehicles on the streets and highways of the city.
Utah – Cities are debating allowing the use of mini-trucks on public roads. Since they are classified as street legal ATVs there is concern about allowing the use of all types of ATVs.
Oregon – Governor has introduced a transportation bill that creates a medium speed vehicle designation aimed at increasing the adoption of NEVs