Category Archives: Sales figures

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

Golf Car Fleets Going Solar

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Jockey Club Kau Sai Chau Public Course in Hong Kong and the Sebonack Golf Club in Southhampton, N.Y recently became the first golf courses to completely power their golf car fleets with solar power.?? Both fleets used Club Car’s SolarDrive system to retrofit their existing Club Car fleets.?? Management expects to reduce costs in the long-term through energy savings.?? The Hong Kong facility converted 205 golf cars and the club in New York converted 40 golf cars. The solar panels typically cost about $2,700 but can be eligible for tax incentives as well.?? they are supplied by SolarDrive of Denmark that has a marketing partnership with Club Car. Learn more:?? Golfcarnews.com

Comment: While capital costs for retrofitting may be an issue for some fleet managers, if savings can be realized in a reasonable amount of time this type of product will be another factor in the continuing trend towards more electric powered golf cars.?? Combined with the recent introduction of golf cars with AC drive and increased environmental concerns the trend towards electric could significantly accelerate. – Marc Cesare

Navy Likely To Become Major Buyer Of LSVs

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In a speech this week the US Secretary of the Navy identified five key energy targets for the Navy to meet by 2020.?? One of these goals is to reduce petroleum use in their commercial fleet of vehicles by 50% by 2015.?? The fleet numbers approximately 50,000 vehicles.?? As the vehicles are retired the Navy expects to replace them with hybrids, flex fuel and low speed vehicles. Learn more:?? Greencarcongress.com

Comment: When the Army first announced their plans for purchasing LSVs they mentioned the Air Force and Navy possibly piggybacking on their efforts but this is the first time we have seen any official statements about the Navy acquiring LSVs.?? While the Army’s initial purchase is 4,000 LSVs over three years, they noted that 10,000 vehicles could eventually be purchased and estimated a similar amount for each the Navy and the Air Force.?? I would expect the Navy’s acquisition would boost demand for LSVs in the range of 1,000 to 2,000 vehicles per year over the next five years. With the Army and Navy on board the Air Force may also follow suit and make the US military a major factor in the market. – Marc Cesare

Federal Tax Credit Appears To Be Significantly Boosting LSV Sales

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Based on stories from around the country, the federal tax credit for new plug-in electric vehicles purchased during 2009 is providing a significant boost to LSV sales. The tax credit is included as part of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act (EESA) and is credit of $2,500 to $7,500 for a four wheeled vehicle that draws propulsion using a rechargeable battery with at least four kilowatt hours of capacity. The base credit is $2,500 and increases depending on the size of the battery pack.?? An additional $417 is added for each kilowatt hour above four kilowatts hours.?? For many LSV this equates to a tax credit of roughly $4,000 to $6,000 depending on the brand of LSV and the battery pack option chosen.

A Tomberlin dealer in Oklahoma has reported a “dramatic” increase in sales, Bad Boy Buggies is hoping to launch their street legal vehicle shortly to take advantage of the tax credit fueled demand and in a recent story out of South Carolina a dealer reported a sales jump from 10 to 60 vehicles per month because of the tax credit.?? South Carolina adds a state tax credit equal to 20% of the federal tax credit and Oklahoma adds a 50% tax credit for electric vehicles.?? In addition, the major LSV manufacturers are all prominently touting the tax credit on their websites, often with the specific tax credit available for each model.?? Learn more:?? SCNow.com

Navistar Presents Electric Truck

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Navistar Commercial Electric Truck

Navistar Commercial Electric Truck

Navistar recently unveiled their electric truck to Congress.?? The company received $39 million in grant money in August from the US Department of Energy to develop the vehicle as part of a battery and electric vehicle development initiative.?? Navistar expects to build 400 of the commercial trucks in 2010.?? Targeted for light-duty stop and go applications such as intra-city delivery, the company expects to be producing thousands of vehicles as the market grows.?? Learn more:?? Autoevolution.com

ZAP Distributing Electric Vehicles From Wuling Motors Of China

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ZAP distributes Wuling Motors electric truck

ZAP distributes Wuling Motors electric truck

ZAP received the first shipment of small electric trucks from Wuling Motors of China earlier this year.?? To date approximately 100 of the vehicles, which are classified as LSVs, have been shipped to the US.?? Most of the vehicle is manufactured by Shanghai-GM-Wuling except for the transmission, battery, controls and motor.?? The batteries are provided by HOPPECKE Batterien GmbH & Co. KG and the vehicles have an AC motor.?? Besides ZAP, Green Go Tek also distributes the electric trucks.

Wuling is planning on rolling out their Smile-E micro car for the NEV markets such as gated communities and retirement areas as early as next month.?? The Smile-E will be distributed by Green Go Tek and Ruff and Tuff vehicles. Learn more:?? ChinaBizGov

Columbia ParCar Wins U.S. Army Order For Nearly 800 LSVs

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Columbia ParCar recently announced that they have won an order to supply 799 LSVs for the US Army.?? The LSVs will be used at 47 US Army installations in the US and Puerto Rico and are part of a three year plan to purchase 4,000 LSVs.?? The plan calls for 800 LSVs to be acquired in 2009, 1,600 in 2010 and another 1,600 in 2011.?? The vehicles will be?? used for passenger transport, security patrol, maintenance and delivery services.?? According to Columbia ParCar’s Scott Breckley, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, ???438 vehicles are four-passenger models and the remaining 361 units are utility vehicles capable of transporting two passengers and cargo.??? Learn more:?? Columbia ParCar

Comment: This order is another example of the growing importance of the military segment for LSVs and utility vehicles.?? Kawasaki and Polaris have previously won contracts to supply utility vehicles and the Army’s LSV program represents a significant chunk of the LSV market.?? For utility vehicles, vehicle performance in specific field applications and favorable price points compared to previous vehicle options available is driving demand.?? Polaris, according to their latest presentation to investors, considers the military segment a significant new market development initiative in their global market strategy.?? For the LSVs, the military is replacing more expensive larger vehicles and saving on fuel costs, while still being able to perform the necessary tasks. – Marc Cesare

Zap Announces Military Reorder & Increased Production Schedule

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Electric vehicle maker Zap recently announced that the US military has followed up a June order for their Zaptruck XL with a request for eleven more of the vehicles.?? The military is ordering five 220-volt fast charging stations as well.?? The management also reported that they…

…have been increasing our production and assembly schedules for the past several months and I expect to see even more ramp-up initiatives in the next quarter.

Learn more:?? Earthtimes.org

Oregon Governor Supports Electric Vehicle Manufacturers

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Oregon’s Governor Ted Kulongoski is using a $100,000 grant from his Strategic Reserve Fund to support Brammo, Inc., a manufacturer of electric motorcycles.

The company plans to invest $51 million over the next five years to produce its all-electric motorcycle called the Enertia. That includes an $18 million headquarters and production facility in Ashland.

The governor also paid a visit to Barefoot Motors a manufacturer of electric off-road utility vehicles.?? The company relocated from California last fall and started production in June at a rate of 10 vehicles per month.?? Learn more:?? Bizjournal.com

Electric Vehicles International Moving Headquaters To California

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Mexico based Electric Vehicles International is moving their headquarters to Stockton, CA where they will also be building a manufacturing facility for their electric powered light truck.?? The EVILightTruck has a top speed of 45-60 mph, depending on the version, and is available as a class 3,4,5 or 6 truck.?? There is also a hybrid?? option.?? The all electric model has a 100KW motor and is powered by a lithium phosphate battery supplied by Valence.?? EVI also sells drive trains and controllers for electric vehicles.?? Since its founding in 1989 the company reports selling over 1,000 vehicles.?? Production in the new facility will begin in 2010 and will employ up to 100 people when operating at peak production.?? Learn more:?? Centralvalleybusinesstimes.com