Atlanta Electric Vehicle Development Coalition

Atlanta's Home for Electric Vehicle News and Information


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High Gas Prices Got You Considering an EV? Consumer Reports has two Reviews for you!

With gasoline prices skyrocketing, many metro Atlantans are considering an electric powered vehicle.  If that’s you, then here are two recently released Consumer Reports reviews and ratings for Electric Powered Vehicles and Home Charging Units.  With fewer moving parts, Consumer Reports is finding that the first generation of electric powered vehicles are very reliable.  From my personal experience, my Chevrolet VOLT has been the most reliable and trouble free vehicles I’ve ever owned.   Click here for the full article.

If you purchase or lease an EV, you should seriously consider installing a residential charging unit and taking advantage of Georgia Power or other electricity provider’s PEV plan.  I’ve saved almost $500 on my whole house electric bill including charging my VOLT over the last 18 months!  According to Consumer Reports, power, portability, cord length, and remote access are important features that should influence EVowners’ decision about which home charging unit to buy.  To see their comparison of 8 residential EV charging systems, click here.  I recommend the 240V option due to faster charging times which is the real benefit of a home installed charger.  But be aware that you may need to have an electrician install the power line and the unit and a permit may be required. Check each manufacturer or retailer’s website before you shop as they offer manufacturer rebates or store discounts from time to time.

Consumer Reports

 

 

 


Source: Fix.com” title=”Electric Cars Charge into the Future”>Electric Cars Charge into the Future

Here’s a great primer on the types of EVs, the gas they save and the models available courtesy of Fix.com, a lifestyle blog devoted to bringing you expert content to make your life easier (first published on May 7, 2014) and republished by InsideEVs.com (June 28, 2014).


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An Automotive Insider’s Tour of Tesla Fremont, California, Factory

Read a first-hand account and a historical overview of Tesla’s factory in Fremont, California, (one of the auto industry’s most storied plants) by AEVDC founder Jeff Cohen. The story was published by CleanTechnica on June 25, 2014.

http://cleantechnica.com/2014/06/25/automotive-insiders-tour-tesla-fremont-factory/

Tesla Fremont CA plant


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Georgia Alternative Fuel Vehicles ROADSHOW Stop #1 – Atlanta GA

I attended the first stop of the 4th Annual Georgia Alternative Fuel Vehicle ROADSHOW on June 17, 2014 held at the Georgia International Convention Center.  Based on the presentations, I see  growing Public-Private partnerships to drive EV ownership and infrastructure development in metro Atlanta and throughout the State of Georgia. Georgia Public Service Commissioner Tim Echols sponsored the Roadshow and has now taken it to eight cities across the state June 17-26, 2014. Don Francis, Executive Director, Clean Cities Georgia was on hand to help kick off the event and bring his growing EV optimism to the audience. Representatives from  public utilities (Ben Echols – Georgia Power), EV vehicle manufacturers (Cornelius Willingham -Nissan) and EVSE (Mike Anderson efacec) presented a compelling view of the emerging public-private partnerships taking place in Georgia to drive EV and Alternative Fueled Vehicle adoption. Willingham said that after home based charging, workplace  charging is the number 2 place preferred by EV owner. Nissan offers a full assessment of workplace charging needs and free Nissan LEAF ‘ride and drive’ events at the location. Surprisingly, only 1,000 EV/PHEV Georgia Power customers are on the PEV Time of Use Plan, said Ben Echols.  As a VOLT owner, I’ve saved almost $500 over the last 18 months on my entire home electric bill!  If you drive an EV, and Georgia Power is your electric utility provider, you owe it to yourself to check out the PEV plan.  See the link on the Resources page.


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Metro Atlanta Clean Tech Council

The focus of the Metro Atlanta Chamber’s Clean Tech Leadership Council’s meeting on June 13, 2014 was electric vehicle (EV) adoption and electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) infrastructure in metro Atlanta.   Over three dozen organizations from city, state, and federal government agencies to large corporations and start-ups to students, lawyers, and journalists, were in attendance.  Coca Cola, Georgia Power, the City of Atlanta, and Charge Point discussed their current and future plans to expand EV infrastructure and to promote EV purchases in Atlanta.    Read more.

 


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Will Future EVs and Charging Stations Reflect Male Drivers’ Preferences?

In April of this year, three researchers from UC Davis’ Institute of Transportation Studies released a working paper entitled “Engendering the Future of Electric Vehicles: Conversations with Men and Women.” These researchers analyzed their conversations with mixed gender focused groups from California in 2011 and 2012 to learn 1) how men and women think about and discuss EVs and EVSE infrastructure, 2) if men and women thought of and discussed these issues differently, and 3) what these differences, if any exist, mean for the future development of EVs and charging stations. Read more.