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Electric Car Sales Surge, 90+ Cities Celebrate National Plug In Day

September 27, 2013 in Electric Vehicles, EV Campaigns, EV enthusiast, EV News

EV victory lap and test drives at third annual event, Sept. 28-29

Graphic courtesy of Plug In America

Graphic courtesy of Plug In America

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – The 3rd annual National Plug In Day on September 28-29 will highlight accelerated growth in the electric vehicle market. From Amsterdam to Hawaii, prospective buyers will learn about electric vehicles (EVs) at events in more than 90 cities where communities are supporting the clean-air benefits and fuel cost-savings of EVs.

Plug-in vehicles by Nissan, GM, Tesla, Mitsubishi, Toyota, Ford, Honda and other automakers will be available for test rides and test drives. The number of plug-in models available rose from seven in 2010 to 13 in 2011, 20 in 2012 and 28 in 2013.

Events will vary. In Philadelphia, U.S. Congressman Chaka Fattah will speak and test drive an electric car. In Las Vegas, event participants will be treated to a solar EV charging canopy. In Seattle, speed enthusiasts will drag race their EVs. In Long Beach, CA, upwards of 100 electric vehicles are expected to be available for viewing and test drives, and the mayor has issued a proclamation in honor of the day and local EV leaders. In Amsterdam, the E-Challenge will roll out more than 250 EVs through its city center. And stock car racer Leilani Münter will showcase her Tesla at Octoberfest in Charlotte, NC.

“Americans are finding out how liberating it can be to drive electric. We noticed a significant increase in electric vehicle sales following the last National Plug In Day, and the numbers keep rising,” said Plug In America president Richard Kelly. “More EVs are hitting the pavement, and they are selling. We’ve gone from 345 electric vehicles sold in December 2010 to 18,000 by December 2011 to 70,000 by the end of 2012. Last month American consumers bought more than 11,000 EVs, doubling EV sales from the previous month. To date, more than 130,000 EVs have been sold in the U.S. since late 2010 – with sales effectively growing by about 200% a year.”

“I’m going to let you in on a little secret: Today automakers are competing on innovation and efficiency, America has cut its oil use by 10 percent in the past eight years, and EVs are a big part of that success,” said Michael Brune, Sierra Club executive director. “National Plug In Day is our chance to take our electric cars on a victory lap. Sales are exploding, plug-in technology is beating gasoline-powered cars while saving Americans money on gas and reducing pollution.”

Plug In America, the Sierra Club, and the Electric Auto Association are organizing National Plug In Day, with many other partners and sponsors at the local level. For more information about National Plug In Day and a list of events, visit http://www.pluginday.org.

About Plug In America: Plug In America is leading the nation’s plug-in vehicle movement. The nonprofit organization works to accelerate the shift to plug-in vehicles powered by clean, affordable, domestic electricity to reduce our nation’s dependence on petroleum and improve the global environment. We drive electric. You can, too.  www.pluginamerica.org.

About the Sierra Cub: The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 2.3 million members and supporters nationwide. The Sierra Club’s Beyond Oil campaign advocates for a switch to electric vehicles as one important way to reduce emissions and cut our dependence on oil.  For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org/EVGuide.

About the Electric Auto Association: The Electric Auto Association, formed in 1967, is a nonprofit educational organization with 75 chapters worldwide that promotes the advancement and widespread adoption of electric vehicles.  www.electricauto.org.

This article is a repost, credit: Plug In America.

Tesla Powers Up The New Electric Era

September 27, 2013 in Electric Vehicles, EV News, Model S, Tesla

Tesla Model S at the Idaho Power Co. in Boise, Idaho Photo courtesy of Tesla

Tesla Model S at the Idaho Power Co. in Boise, Idaho
Photo courtesy of Tesla

Tesla stock (TSLA) closed at $190.90 per share, up 1.2% on the day, which was another new record close.  TSLA also hit a record high today of $191.28.  Shareholders can celebrate by attending a local National Plug In Day this weekend, http://www.pluginday.org.  After all, Tesla shareholders from Wall Street to Main Street have helped accelerate the new electric era.

Tesla tweeted (9-23-13): “More than 3.2 million miles have been charged at Tesla Superchargers, offsetting about 130,500 gallons of gas.”

Plug In America stated today that more than 130,000 EVs have been sold in the US since late 2010.  August 2013 was a breakout month with over 11,000 EVs sold.  According to the good folks at Plug In America, there are now 28 plug-in electric models on the market.

With the accelerating success of the electrification movement, National Plug In Day should see some crowds.  Model S owners may be a bit surprised by the number of LEAFs.  Nissan announced today that it has sold over 35,000 LEAFs (cumulative) in the US.  The LEAF family tree is firmly rooted in the US, and since it is an all-electric, the brand should have long staying power on the Smyrna, Tennessee, factory line.

The times, they are changing.  Dirty fossil fuels are out.  Clean electric is in.  In the UK, renewable electric generation reached 15.5% of total electric generation in the second quarter, up from 9.8% in Q2 2012, according to the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change.  The British Pound has climbed above $1.61 to the US Dollar due to the strength of the UK economy and its outlook.

FIA Formula E announced today tentative dates for its fully-electric races that will take place in the streets of ten different cities.  Beijing, China, is first on the calendar, September 20, 2014.  In the US, races are being planned for Los Angeles (2-14-15) and Miami (4-18-15).  Qualcomm is one of the sponsors.  The company is looking to showcase its wireless charging product, Halo, in these ten markets.  FIA Formula E Championship trailer

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National Plug In Day: Free Electric Car Events in 90+ Cities Across U.S.

September 21, 2013 in Electric Vehicles, EV Campaigns, EV News

Focus of 3RD and Largest Annual Celebration: Introducing First-Timers to EVS   

Image courtesy of Plug In America

Image courtesy of Plug In America

WHAT: Tens of thousands of people in some 90 U.S. cities will rally to raise awareness of plug-in vehicles for the third annual National Plug In Day, with Mexico and Amsterdam taking part for the first time. The goal of events from West Palm Beach to Seattle to Reno will be to give consumer information and test-drives to more EV newcomers than ever. These gasoline-car drivers will be able to experience the quiet, clean thrill of plug-in vehicles first-hand while learning about their cost-savings, national security and clean-air benefits.

“Thanks to the continued drop in prices, plug-in vehicles are now within the reach of millions of Americans. Many are now driving ‘for free’ because their car payments are equal to or even less than they paid for gasoline,” said Plug In America president Richard Kelly. “Our aim is to raise awareness of this affordability and the many other benefits of EVs.”

National Plug In Day activities will vary by city. In addition to test drives, they will include rallies, tailgate parties, charging-infrastructure demos, EV-readiness awards, and more. Among the plug-in vehicles expected for public ride-n-drives:

Tesla Model S, Nissan LEAF, Chevy Volt, Mitsubishi iMiEV, Plug-in Prius, Ford Focus EV, Honda Fit EV, BMW ActiveE, Zero and Brammo motorcycles and such earlier models as the Tesla Roadster, Fisker Karma, Coda and Toyota RAV4 EV.

WHEN: Saturday or Sunday, Sept. 28 or 29, 2013. Date and times will vary by city: http://pluginday.org/events.php

WHERE: Visit the National Plug In Day website for city-by-city locations and details (still being updated): pluginday.org

WHO: Plug In America, the Sierra Club and the Electric Auto Association are national organizers teaming up with local groups across the country and abroad to organize events. National sponsors include the Nissan LEAF and Schneider EVlink.

ADVANCE COVERAGE PHOTOS AVAILABLE:
 EVs, onlookers gathered in Times Square; Tesla Model S & other EVs.

DAY-OF PHOTO OPPS: Test drives; consumer reaction.

About Plug In America

Plug In America is leading the nation’s plug-in vehicle movement. The nonprofit organization works to accelerate the shift to plug-in vehicles powered by clean, affordable, domestic electricity to reduce our nation’s dependence on petroleum and improve the global environment. We drive electric. You can, too. www.pluginamerica.org

About the Sierra Club

The Sierra Club is the nation’s oldest and largest grassroots environmental organization with more than 2.3 million members and supporters and chapters in all 50 states.  The Sierra Club’s national electric vehicles campaign advocates for a switch to EVs as one important way to reduce emissions and cut our addiction to oil. www.sierraclub.org/EVGuide

About the Electric Auto Association

The Electric Auto Association, formed in 1967, is a nonprofit educational organization with 75 chapters worldwide that promotes the advancement and widespread adoption of electric vehicles. www.electricauto.org

This article is a repost (release 9-5-13), credit: Plug In America.

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Drive The Dream Accelerates Largest Public-Private Sector Commitment to PEVs Globally

September 16, 2013 in Electric Vehicles, EV Campaigns, EV News, Politics, San Francisco

CA PEV Collaborative, Governor Jerry Brown and CA Company Executives Announce Expansion of California’s Global Leadership in PEVs

Governor Brown at Pier 15 in San Francisco (Drive The Dream event) with supporters of the EV movement awaiting him on stage.   Gov. Brown admired the "fancy" all-electric Model S and hungered after eyeing the all-electric LEAF (Karas Cupcakes, below).   He made a rousing speech on the arrival of the EV movement as he looked out over an array of EVs on Pier 15.

Governor Brown at Pier 15 in San Francisco (Drive The Dream event) with supporters of the EV movement awaiting him on stage.
He made a rousing speech on the California EV movement as he looked out over an array of EVs on Pier 15.

SAN FRANCISCO, September 16, 2013 –Today, after three years of focused effort, the California Plug-in Electric Vehicle Collaborative, Governor Jerry Brown and a diverse group of California corporate leaders met at DRIVE THE DREAM, to announce acceleration in the adoption of electric vehicles and workplace charging in California. This unprecedented cooperation of industry and government working together ensures continued global leadership well into the future.

At DRIVE THE DREAM, over 50 corporate executives joined Governor Brown to discuss opportunities and obstacles to continued market growth, in addition to announcing new corporate commitments to workplace charging, fleet vehicles and incentives to employees. Under Governor Brown, the State of California has set the most aggressive clean transportation goals in the country including creating a charging network to handle 1 million electric vehicles by 2020. Companies are joining the call in new, innovative ways and companies are choosing California as their test market for new initiatives due to its friendly PEV environment.

“DRIVE THE DREAM participants are working towards a plug-in electric vehicle future,” said Christine Kehoe, Executive Director, California Plug-In Electric Vehicle Collaborative, “participating corporations have made substantial commitments to plug-in electric vehicles through workplace charging, corporate fleet purchases and employee incentives. We are very pleased to share several corporate announcements today and to learn about renewed commitments from 40 companies participating today, along with our PEV Collaborative members representing the automotive industry, the electric utilities, electric vehicle service providers and other member organizations.”

Among the new announcements made today:AT&T announced they will replace by September 2014, 10% (55) of their fleet passenger vehicles with PEVs.

DRIVE THE DREAM features 8 leading auto-manufacturers showcasing 16 new cars, demonstrating that electric vehicles are now available in all sizes and price points. Cars showcased at DRIVE THE DREAM include the recently launched BMW i3 and GM’s Cadillac ELR which go on sale in California in early 2014. Other popular cars at the event include: the Nissan LEAF, GM’s Chevy Volt and Chevy Spark EV, the Tesla Model S, Honda’s Fit EV and Plug-In Accord, Daimler Smart EV, Ford Focus EV and Fusion Energi, Toyota’s RAV4 EV, Prius Plug-In and iQ EV, and BMW’s ActiveE.

ABOUT the CALIFORNIA PLUG-IN ELECTRIC VEHICLE COLLABORATIVE

The California Plug-In Electric Vehicle Collaborative (Collaborative), a multi-stakeholder public-private partnership, is working to ensure a strong and enduring transition to PEVs in California. The Collaborative members include key California PEV stakeholders such as elected and appointed officials, automakers, utilities, infrastructure providers, environmental organizations, research institutions and other.

Under the guidance of a multi-stakeholder executive membership, the Collaborative facilitates the deployment of PEVs in California to meet economic, energy and environmental goals. Using the broad and diverse expertise of each member, the Collaborative convenes, communicates and collaborates on emerging PEV market trends and works to address challenges. The Collaborative seeks to broaden and communicate existing PEV stakeholder activities to enable PEV market growth.

Collaborative members include: AeroVironment, American Lung Association in California, Bay Area Air Quality Management District, BMW, California Air Resources Board, California Center for Sustainable Energy, California Electric Transportation Coalition, California Energy Commission, California State Assembly, California State Senate, California Public Utilities Commission, CALSTART, Center For Energy Efficiency And Renewable Technologies, ChargePoint, Clean Fuel Connection, Inc., Daimler, ECOtality, Electric Power Research Institute, Ford, General Motors, Greenlots, Honda, Institute of Transportation Studies UC Davis, International Council on Clean Transportation, Kia.

Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Natural Resources Defense Council, Nissan, Northern Sonoma County Air Pollution Control District, NRG Energy, Office of Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr., Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Plug In America, Sacramento Municipal Utility District, San Diego Gas and Electric, South Coast Air Quality Management District, Southern California Edison, Tesla, Toyota and Union of Concerned Scientists.

For more information on the California Plug-In Electric Vehicle Collaborative please visit: http://www.pevcollaborative.org

This article is a repost, credit: Plug-In Electric Vehicle Collaborative, http://www.pevcollaborative.org/.

Tesla and Oil Transition Theme

August 14, 2013 in Electric Vehicles, EV News, Oil, Tesla

Hyperloop design Image courtesy of Tesla

Hyperloop design
Image courtesy of Tesla

The EV community is amped up for National Plug In Day.  Tesla tweeted: “More than 60 cities have signed up for the 3rd annual National #PlugInDay on Sept 28-29.  Join in on #plugin: http://pluginday.org/events.php.”  Certainly, Hyperloop will be one topic of discussion among many, so if you like EVs, you should come join the fun.

Tesla stock (TSLA) dropped sharply today, exaggerating the down move in the stock market.  The shares closed at $139.36, off 4.17%.  Rising interest rate concerns are causing unease in the overall market.  The 10 year Treasury yield has remained around 2.7%, but this is unlikely to last if the Federal Reserve significantly removes its stimulus.

The oil market will likely put a lid on interest rates in the future.  The US cannot grow without cheap energy, so economic growth will be constrained until the US can adequately transition to the new electric era.  Fortunately, the world gladly accepts US Dollars for oil.  Unfortunately, for India, the world does not clamor for the Rupee, which may make the Rupee a major casualty in the currency markets.

WTI oil is currently trading over $107 per barrel, and Brent is over $110.  The Middle East has been heating up again with conflicts scattered across the region.  Bahrain has the latest conflict.  Reuters reported: “Bahraini police fired teargas and birdshot to disperse scattered protests across the country on Wednesday, as Shi’ite Muslims responded to a call by online activists for pro-democracy demonstrations.”  Bahrain is a tiny oil producer, but this conflict is cause for regional concern.

Hopefully, with the Arab Spring in mind, regional leaders will choose to advance democracy quickly and build a more sustainable economic model.  Norway is a country rich in oil, but it also has a well diversified economy and highly stable society.  Democracy, not oil, offers the greatest riches for the people of the Middle East.

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19 U.S. Employers Join the Workplace Charging Challenge, Source: DOE

June 11, 2013 in Electric Vehicles, EV Campaigns, EV charging, EV News

David Danielson - US Department of Energy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Photo courtesy of DOE

David Danielson – US Department of Energy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Photo courtesy of DOE

The market for plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) is rapidly expanding — sales in the United States have tripled as Americans purchased more than 50,000 PEVs in 2012 alone. To accommodate this surge in PEV ownership, many leading employers are joining the Energy Department’s Workplace Charging Challenge — a collaborative initiative to increase the number of U.S. employers offering workplace charging by tenfold in the next five years. Since we launched the Workplace Charging Challenge in January as part of the Energy Department’s EV Everywhere Grand Challenge, 49 employers have committed to providing PEV charging access to at least one of their worksites — increasing the convenience of owning a PEV and providing employees with more options for charging their vehicles.

Today, I am proud to announce that 19 new partners have joined the Challenge, including: ABB, Inc., BookFactory, CFV Solar Test Laboratory, Inc., Cisco Systems, City of Auburn Hills, Dominion Resources, Inc., DTE Energy, Fraunhofer Center for Sustainable Energy Systems, JLA Public Involvement, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, lynda.com, MetLife, NetApp, Pepco Holdings, Inc., Schneider Electric, The Venetian and The Palazzo, WESCO and Zappos. These new partners join an elite group of U.S. employers who are successfully implementing and expanding their workplace charging programs. For many of these employers, workplace charging is also a perfect fit into their larger sustainability programs as a tangible benefit for employees while also reducing the organization’s greenhouse gas emissions.

We have also added two new Workplace Charging Challenge ambassadors — Drive Oregon and Advanced Energy. As ambassadors, Drive Oregon and Advanced Energy will work to support and promote workplace charging to employers across the country through activities like hosting workshops focused on educating employers about workplace charging and amplifying the success of workplace charging programs.

Many Workplace Charging Challenge partners aren’t stopping at charging station installation when it comes to promoting PEV adoption among their employees and others in their community. As part of our ambassador organization Plug In America’s “Plug In @ Work” program, Google recently held a campus PEV showcase and test drive where around 500 of their employees got to experience the thrill of driving electric.

Our new Workplace Charging Challenge Partner Map shows the progress we are making in building America’s charging infrastructure and demonstrates the availability of workplace charging across the country. This map includes partners’ charging station locations as well as a snapshot of what each employer is doing to implement a workplace charging program, including the installation of charging stations, employee education and other community-wide promotional efforts.

Here at the Energy Department, we are proud of the progress being made by the Workplace Charging Challenge partners and ambassadors in the four months since its launch, and we look forward to working with new partners and ambassadors to promote PEVs and further develop national charging infrastructure in the months ahead. This is just one part of a broad effort to help advance the development and deployment of electric vehicles. In case you missed it, be sure to check out the Department’s announcement today of the eGallon, which gives consumers an easy way to compare the costs of driving on gasoline vs fueling with electricity.

This article is a repost, credit: US Department of Energy, David Danielson, Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, http://energy.gov/articles/19-us-employers-join-workplace-charging-challenge.

Paul Scott

June 4, 2013 in EV Star of the Week

Paul Scott Photo courtesy of Kelly Olsen

Paul Scott
Photo courtesy of Kelly Olsen

Paul Scott is the star of the week.  Mr. Scott, co-founder of Plug-In-America, has been one of the leading pioneers in the modern electric car movement.  He drives change, for all the right reasons.  While others think about taking action, Mr. Scott goes out and does it.  To say the least, there are numerous people in the electric car movement that would like to go to lunch with Mr. Paul Scott. 

Mr. Scott’s current EV is a 2011 LEAF, and he has solar panels on his home in Santa Monica, California, to charge it up.  He drives on sunshine, and he likes to talk to other people about driving on sunshine.  So, he sells LEAFs at the Downtown Los Angeles Nissan dealership, and he does consulting for Solar City.

In a recent opinion piece, Mr. Scott said: “By powering my home and car with clean energy, I’m no longer forking over thousands to the oil, coal and natural gas companies.  I recently calculated how much I’ve saved by paying a small utility bill, only, for these basic needs since 2002: roughly $16,000.”

Nissan LEAF Fast Charging Downtown L.A., By Kelly Olsen

(Courtesy of Kelly Olsen)

The electric car is charging down the road at a faster rate nowadays.  We are moving out of the early adopter stage.  Keep going Paul …