Green Energy News | December 9, 1996

December 9, 1996 – Vol.1 No.37

ENERGIES... week of December 9, 1996

REMEMBER THESE DATES. Thursday, November 21, 1996 was the day the first production electric vehicle by a major U.S. automobile manufacturer rolled off the assembly line. Thursday, December 5, 1996 was the day that first production GM EV1 became available for lease. If it is successful in the marketplace historians will consider these dates as the beginning of a new automotive era - the age of the electric car.

SOME EV1 DETAILS to tell your grandchildren. When first introduced, the EV1 two-seat coupe was available for lease only through selected Saturn Corp. (an offshoot of General Motors) dealers in Los Angeles and San Diego, California and Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona - areas chosen for their warm but smoggy climates. Lease payments for the battery powered car ranged from $480 and $640 per month depending on the combination of federal, state and local tax credits available to the lessee. The 36 month lease agreement included replacement of the lead-acid batteries if necessary. A wall-mounted inductive charger was also available for lease at an additional $50 per month.

Before the rollout and delivery dates, Saturn Corporation received some 3000 inquiries through its 1-800-25-ELECTRIC phone number. (The number will continue to track customer inquiries for some time.)

EDISON EV, a division of Edison International, is working under a strategic alliance with General Motors to install electric vehicle charging stations in homes and public places. By offering one-stop-shopping, Edison EV can handle required permits, installation and warranty service for the Delco Magne Charge (tm) charger offered for use with the GM EV1 and other battery powered vehicles about to hit the market.

The company has also installed 14 charging stations in the 4 areas where the EV1 is currently available. Those charging stations are at upscale restaurants, shopping centers and resort hotels as well as museums and commuter train stations. Other target areas for an additional 150 stations to be installed in 1997 are large employers, entertainment and sports complexes, government offices, public parking areas and mass transit facilities.

New business and job opportunities appear to be rising with the introduction of electric cars into the motoring world, not just with production of the cars themselves, but with the support infrastructure needed to keep them rolling.