Governor McDonnell today announced the Commonwealth’s collaborative efforts to plan and address issues for facilitating vehicle electrification in the years ahead. Working together, state and local government entities, fleets, universities, utilities, civic organizations, vehicle manufacturers, and businesses are represented in the Virginia electrification effort with Virginia Clean Cities through the Rocky Mountain Institute’s Project Get Ready. During his campaign, McDonnell made transportation and innovative energy issues a priority, including emphasis on transportation fuel alternatives like natural gas and electricity as well as increased efficiency and smarter use of traditional energy sources such as oil.
…The Virginia “Get Ready” plan will be refined in the coming months. Government representation in the effort includes the Virginia Secretary of Transportation, the state Department of Mines Minerals and Energy, the Department of General Services, the Virginia Department of Transportation, the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, the Motor Vehicle Dealer Board, the US Department of Energy and Clean Cities program, Virginia Clean Cities, Fairfax County, Arlington County, Richmond, Henrico, Chesterfield , James Madison University, and the University of Virginia.
Utility representation includes Dominion Power and Old Dominion Electric Cooperative. Civic involvement includes Electric Vehicle Association of Washington DC, Richmond STIR, the Virginia Automobile Dealers Association, and Virginia Clean Cities. Business representation includes Nissan, Ford, Smith Electric Vehicles, the Advanced Vehicle Research Center, Richmond Segway, Evatran, Plugless Power, Aker Wade, Kollmorgen, Coulomb, and Encell.
…The Governor advocated for successful legislation this session of the General Assembly, patroned by Delegate Charles Poindexter (R-Rocky Mount), to add improvement of infrastructure such as refueling stations as a goal of the Alternative Fuels Revolving Fund. That bill can be found here: http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?101+sum+HB806
For more information about the Virginia electrification effort, please visit: http://hrccc.org/get-ready/
Posts Tagged ‘charging stations’
STIR cited by Va. Gov. McDonnell in announcement for electric vehicle collaborative
Monday, June 21st, 2010Recharging and other concerns keep electric cars far from mainstream
Monday, February 22nd, 2010
Like all new technologies, the hype of the promise sometimes overshadows some of the practical issues. Many of these will work themselves out as the the technology is improved or other adoption milestones are achieved. An interesting article in the Washington posts makes this point. very well.
Albemarle County firm develops auto quick charge tech
Friday, January 29th, 2010The Charlottesville Daily Progress reports on Albemarle County-based Aker Wade Power Technologies work on quick charge battery technology.
The manufacturer of fast-charge devices used to repower forklifts and other battery-operated equipment in manufacturing plants and industry has entered into an agreement with Japanese car makers and power companies to build quick-charge devices for electric cars.
Dominion Power readies Virginia rest stops for electrics
Sunday, September 27th, 2009Govenor Kaine’s office announced a partnership with Dominion Power to establish electric car charging stations at several rest stops. From the Govenor’s press release…
“Governor Timothy M. Kaine today announced as part of his Renew Virginia initiative a partnership with Dominion Virginia Power to install electric vehicle charging stations at certain state rest areas. These charging stations, installed at no cost to the state, are designed to accommodate most of today’s hybrid electric vehicles and use of the stations will be complimentary. Earlier this month the first electric vehicle charging stations were installed at the westbound New Kent Safety Rest Area on Interstate 64 and can charge up to four vehicles at a time. “
Wythesville’s MTC Transformers launches Evatran to build inductive car charging stations.
Tuesday, September 1st, 2009Virginia Business reports today that Wytheville-based MTC Transformers, has started a subsidiary, Evatran LLC, to produce inductive (no plug) charging systems for electric cars.
Solving the Chicken and the Egg Problem
Friday, August 14th, 2009From the Rocky Mountain Institute, a non-profit initiative called Project Get Ready is “preparing cities for the introduction of plug-in hybrid vehicles” [via].
Its goal is to bring “all the various players to the table: city planners, local coalitions, nonprofits and [...] big utilities,” to ” make sure there’s enough charging stations, easy-to-get permits, consumer education and fleet buy-in.”
From the CNet article:
As well, it’s important to address the chicken-and-egg problem: If consumers don’t feel they have places to plug in their new electric cars, they won’t buy them. And if people won’t buy them, car makers won’t make them.
It sounds like STIR has goals in common with similar initiatives in other cities — maybe we need to look further into collaboration? This blog and site are a good start, but they’re still just a start…