The list of eligible vehicles for California’s Clean Vehicle Rebate Project are now available and includes LSVs from GEM and Miles Automotive.?? Five GEM models for model years 2009 and 2010 are eligible for rebates ranging from $1,000 to $1,350 depending on the model.?? The two Miles vehicles (model years 2009/2010) are eligible for $1,500 rebates.?? See the complete list. – Marc Cesare
Original posting about the project.
Tomberlin debuted two electric vehicles at the GIS (Golf Industry Show) National Tradeshow held last month in San Diego.?? One vehicle was their E-Motion concept car designed for what the company describes as the “Electric Close-In Commuter Class”.?? Placing an emphasis on safety, the E-Motion borrows technology from the aircraft industry and includes an AmSafe Seatbelt Airbag.?? According to the press release
AmSafe Seatbelt Airbag inflates in less than 90 milliseconds and, unlike automotive airbags, safely deploys up and away from the occupant, making it a safe restraint for passengers of all ages.
Tomberlin management hopes the additional safety feature could lead to the establishment of a new class of vehicles with less restrictive regulations compared to highway speed combustion engine vehicles.?? In the past, Tomberlin has been a strong advocate for a Medium Speed Vehicle classification, which NHTSA has resisted establishing in large part due to safety concerns.
The other vehicle debuted was Tomberlin’s VANISH, an electric utility vehicle with full 4 x 4 shift on the fly function targeted for hunting and other utility vehicle market segments.?? Additional features include independent rear suspension and 4 wheel hydraulic disc breaks.?? Following a trend in the market, the utility vehicle is also a street legal LSV with 3 point seat belts and safety leg restraints, lights, signals, full brush bars and padded headrests.?? – Marc Cesare
Learn more:?? Tomberlin.net
The US Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicle Data Center provides a searchable database for locating fueling stations for various types of alternative fuels, including electric vehicles. Currently the database lists 521 electric vehicle charging stations. Over 80% are located in California, which has 416 stations. The only other states that are in double digits are Oregon with 26 and Texas with 10. Arizona and Illinois are next with 8 each. Twenty-four states, or just under half, have at least one recharging station. Learn more:?? AFDC.energy.gov
GatorMoto now offers a back up camera option for all their electric vehicles.
These systems can either be hard-wired or wireless, depending on your requirements.?? They feature a 7??? TFT-LCD monitor that can also be used for DVD/VCD/TV/GPS, a multi-function remote control and a camera with infrared night vision capabilities up to 10-15 meters.
The equipment is waterproof, damp-proof, anti-fogging, quake-proof, high voltage surge proof, and high temperature resistant.?? They are suitable for all weather conditions.
The hard-wire version costs $359 and the wireless version $459.?? The company promotes the camera as a safety option for parking shuttles, touring vehicles and delivery vehicles.
SEV-US recently announced that it made an offer to buy the Smith Electric Vehicles business from the UK based Tanfield Group.?? The company has a four month exclusive window to come to agreement on the offer which is?? reported to be $55 million.
In other developments the company is looking to establish a 50,000 square foot production and sales facility on the East Coast.?? They are considering locations in New York, Atlanta and Washington D.C. as well as other areas.???? The new facility?? is part of?? an overall plan to eventually open up to ten facilities in large urban markets starting with the East Coast.?? Cities in other parts of the country being considered include San Diego, San Francisco and Chicago.
Management reports that their Kansas City facility is producing two vehicles per week and ramping up to four per week in the coming months.?? They also expect the price of their Newton model to drop from $149,000 currently to $90,000 by 2011 as production increases. – Marc Cesare
Learn more:?? Washington.bizjournals.com
Flight Systems Industrial Products (FSIP) recently announced that they were acquiring certain product lines and equity interest related to a joint venture with GE.?? The joint venture located in Patillas, Puerto Rico manufactures and distributes controls used in electric vehicles such as forklifts, neighborhood electric vehicles, golf carts, walkies, tuggers, go-carts and personnel carriers.???? FSIP remanufactures over 45,000 controls annually for forklifts, aerial lifts, golf carts, scrubbers/sweepers, personnel carriers and mobility controls and has relationships with many OEMs.?? Under the twelve year old joint venture arrangement FSIP had provided manufacturing and warranty services for GE.?? – Marc Cesare
KB Homes is offering EV charging infrastructure as an option in their ???Built to Order??? new home construction package.?? The option would provide technology for either EVs or plug-in hybrid vehicles and would get rid of the need for homeowners to retro-fit their new home.?? This option fits into KB Homes overall initiative for building homes to an Energy Star standard and appealing to the demand for “greener” homes.?? Electric vehicle proponents view the development of charging infrastructure in homes and public places as an important step in allaying range anxiety and demonstrating the permanency of the technology.?? – Marc Cesare
Seoul, Korea announced plans to purchase 35 NEVs for fire departments and city parks this year, including using the vehicles to shuttle world leaders around for the G-20 summit.?? Other initiatives to support NEV use includes:
Funded by the California Air resources Board, the rebate project provides $4.1 million to promote the use and production of zero emission vehicles.?? Individuals or business owners of eligible vehicles purchased or leased after March 15, 2010 can receive up to $5,000 per light-duty vehicle until the funding runs out. Certain zero-emission commercial vehicles are eligible for rebates up to $20,000.?? The list of specific eligible vehicles has not been released yet but categorically the list will include “…cars, trucks, commercial medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, motorcycles, neighborhood electric vehicles”.?? A related California alternative fuels program had provided funding for NEVs from GEM, ZENN, Miles EV and ZAP in the range of $1,000 to $1,500 per vehicle. – Marc Cesare
GEM is recalling 142 vehicles manufactured in 2009 to fix a problem with the parking brake cable which may have been improperly crimped. The 2009 models affected include the e2, e4, e6, eL,eL XD and eS.
The following is from NHTSA:
| NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: | 10V080000 |
| Summary: | |
| GEM IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009 NEIGHBORHOOD ELECTRIC VEHICLES. THE PARKING BRAKE CABLE MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY CRIMPED. THIS COULD CAUSE THE PARKING BRAKE CABLE TO SEPARATE FROM THE ACTUATOR HANDLE WHILE APPLIED. | |
| Consequence: | |
| THE VEHICLE COULD ROLL AWAY ON A HILL CREATING A RISK OF CRASH OR INJURY. | |
| Remedy: | |
| DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE PARKING BRAKE LEVER ASSEMBLY FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MARCH 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT GEM AT 866-764-0616. | |
| Notes: | |
| OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION’S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV . | |