Source: Vancouver Sun

SHENZHEN, China — In a bid to get a fully electric car on the road with appeal beyond the “green market,” China’s BYD, Build Your Dreams, has taken one big step ahead of most of its competitors.

In May, the small automotive company, which U.S. financial wizard Warren Buffett put on the map when he bought a 10 per cent stake, watched the first 30 of its e6 purely electric models roll onto the streets of Shenzhen and begin cruising the city as taxis. By the end of June, BYD expects to have 100 e6 taxis on the road and, although the company won’t confirm it yet, some sources say 560 by the end of the year. The ultimate goal is 1,500, about 10 per cent of all Shenzhen cabs.

The red and white taxis have “zero emission” printed on them and emblazoned across the back in Chinese characters is the boast: “This is not a conventional car, this is a declaration of environmental protection.”

It’s interesting to note the reactions because the taxi driver appears totally indifferent to the experiment he’s involved in.

“A car is a car,” he said. “For a taxi driver it’s to make money. If passengers like it better, then we do, too.”

Paul Lin, spokesman for BYD bridles slightly when asked about the e6 experiment.

“It’s not a test program, frankly speaking. It’s a real business. It’s a beginning,” he said.

Lin explains that in China, where there are more than a million taxis on the streets and they are all owned or controlled by some level of government, it makes a lot of sense to begin e-car sales by penetrating the taxis market. So, BYD invested in Pengcheng

Electric Taxi Company with Shenzhen Bus Group, a company that is ultimately controlled by the city government.

“It should give confidence and guide the public,” Lin said. “If the government uses purely electric vehicles, it will be a very big sign for the public. ‘Oh, the electric vehicle, it works!’ It spells it out for the public.”

What Lin doesn’t say, but clearly implies, is that it is also a way to get governments to begin investing in e-car charging stations before, likely well before, they wholeheartedly commit to policies promoting purely electric cars.

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE: VANCOUVER SUN

Electric Taxi Fleet is a post from: San Diego Clean Fuels Coalition

National AFV Day Odyssey

The Journey Continues

National AFV Day Odyssey

• A biennial event dedicated to promoting cleaner choices in transportation!

The National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium (NAFTC) undertook this project because of the critical need to support the alternative fuel vehicle (AFV) industry. More public awareness is necessary to help ease our dependence on foreign oil, and we must support those manufacturers that are making AFVs a viable option for individuals everywhere. With everyone joining together on one day, working toward the same goals, we cannot help but compound the effect of our individual efforts. Such unity will further increase the impact of each individual site’s program and will catalyze the momentum for the advanced transportation movement nationwide. Together, we will bring national attention to AFVs and advanced technology vehicles and promote them as a cleaner and more efficient choice for transportation.

• Has something for everyone!

Odyssey events are held in numerous locations nationwide and are tailored to the specific needs of the audience. Site coordinators are encouraged to be creative and host events that are fun, interactive, and educational. Past event formats have included ride-and-drives, vehicle displays, and workshops. Additionally, industry experts are often on hand to answer questions that attendees may have while educational seminars provide detailed information about viable alternative fuel options. In 2008, a rock concert, custom paint demonstrations, stock car racing, and an E-85 station fueling event were some of the unique Odyssey events hosted by local site coordinators.

• Guarantees Results!

Odyssey feedback proved that the 2002, 2004, 2006, and 2008 events were tremendous successes. Sponsors, partners, National Training Centers (NTCs), Clean Cities Coordinators, and attendees alike have seen how valuable the program can be for promoting energy independence and supporting the environment. They have also seen the proven results of Odyssey and the millions of individuals reached by its message. We hope that you will become part of the solution and join us on Friday, October 15, 2010. Together, we can make a difference!

Odyssey; October 15th 2010 is a post from: San Diego Clean Fuels Coalition

The 2010 San Diego Clean Fuels Coalition Survey is currently underway, we are gathering data regarding many organization’s alternative fuel/advanced technology fleets in order to complete our 2010 annual report for the Department of Energy (DOE) Clean Cities Program. The DOE uses this data to report to Congress, as required by the Energy Policy Act, on the success and benefits of the program and to calculate the millions of gallons of gasoline and diesel displaced in the nation due to the conversion of fleets from gasoline and diesel fuels to alternative fuel/advanced technologies.  The survey will ascertain the number and types of alternative vehicles currently in use, their various fuels and the frequency of use, the fueling station availability for both public and private entities, the idle-reduction and fuel economy improvements for fleets, vehicle miles traveled reduction and incentive programs, and other general information such as operational, stakeholder, and outreach activities of the Clean Fuel Coalition.

The survey will span various city governments of San Diego County, School Districts, Transit Systems, Private Enterprises, and many other fleet types. If you are a fleet manager in San Diego County please take some time to complete the linked survey; your most accurate information is truly appreciated.

Click here to take survey

As part of this years San Diego Clean Cities Survey there will be an updated list of the contributors, collaborators, and companies that have completed the survey and would like to be noted for their efforts in reducing petroleum fuel use. Thank you to all whom have put forward your efforts in transportation sustainability:

Private:

Allied Waste Services, Cloud Nine, EDCO, Kick Gas Co-op , TerraMoto Transportation , Port of San Diego, San Diego Zoo,

Public:

City & County:

Carlsbad , Chula vista , Coronado , Del Mar ,  El Cajon , Encinitas , Escondido , Imperial Beach , La Mesa , Lemon Grove , National City , Oceanside , Poway , San Diego , San Marcos , Santee , Solana Beach , Vista

State & Federal:

Airport Authority, Air Pollution Control District, Camp Pendleton,  California Highway Patrol, CalTrans, Olivehein Water District, Valley Center Water District, US Navy, US Postal Service,

Educational:

Transit Systems:

Chula Vista Transit, MTS, North County Lifeline Transit, North County Transit, SD Transit Authority

Non-Fleet Contributors:

NewLeaf BioFuels

2010 San Diego Clean Cities Progress Report is a post from: San Diego Clean Fuels Coalition

San Diego EarthWorks will be presenting their annual Earth Fair on Sunday April 18th at Balboa Park from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Clean Fuel Coalition and San Diego Regional Sustainability Partnership will be in attendance on the west side of the Cleaner Car Concourse. There will be information on various clean fuel organizations and the Clean Car Concourse will feature vehicles of all descriptions that run on alternative fuels (hybrids included). This isn’t just “the future”: these are vehicles being used on the road today. The vehicles will be on display in the Pan American Plaza next to the San Diego Automobile Museum.

As part of San Diego State University’s Annual GreenFest / EarthDay event there will be a “Clean Fuel Car Zone” on Wednesday April 21st from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Campanile walkway in front of Hepner Hall.  The showcasing of alternative energy vehicles will include various types of vehicles in categories ranging from full electric, PHEV, CNG, Biodiesel, to Ethanol, with more to be announced.

The University of California San Diego will also be making Thursday April 22nd an “Alternative Transportation Day” starting with a Bicycle Breakfast from 7–10 a.m. at the Gilman Information Booth (Free breakfast snacks and safety information). Then the “Green Machines” will be displayed from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. at Warren Mall. The green vehicle exhibit will be featuring Gidget the Smart Car, UCSD green fleet vehicles, Tesla Roadster, biodiesel Mercdes, MTS natural gas-electric hybrid bus, UCSD’s Greenline biodiesel bus, hydrogen converted car, diesel hydrogen hybrid pickup truck and more. Learn how to compute your carbon footprint and see how you can reduce it by using alternative transportation.

EarthDay Clean Fuel Vehicle Showcases is a post from: San Diego Clean Fuels Coalition

AFV2010.com:

In its sixteenth year, AF&V 2010 is the industry event representing all fuels, vehicles and technologies that provide an alternative to petroleum. This fuel and technology neutral Conference brings industry experts, transportation leaders and policy makers together to help fleet managers and other decision makers sort through which fuels and vehicles make the most sense for them.

AF&V 2010 showcases natural gas, ethanol, biodiesel, propane, electricity, and hydrogen, and their companion vehicles. The Conference embraces advanced technologies that result in fuel efficiency, petroleum displacement and emissions improvements. Included are hybrid-electric and plug-in hybrid technologies; blends, including hydrogen; fuel cells; and, idle-reduction devices. All of these are featured as part of the diverse program, Expo Hall and Ride-n-Drive.

Alternative Fuels & Vehicles National Conference + Expo 2010
May 9-12, 2010
The Rio All-Suite Hotel; Las Vegas, Nevada

Alternative Fuels and Vehicles Conference is a post from: San Diego Clean Fuels Coalition

SDCleanFuels.org (San Diego Clean Cities), in partnership with The National Renewable Energy Laborator (NREL) and the U.S. Department of Energy brought an Alternative Fuels and Vehicles Workshop (EPAct) to San Diego. The day long event was part of a nationwide series of workshops designed to provide regional stakeholders with technical, regulatory, and networking support. It was most beneficial in assisting EPAct-regulated fleets in overcoming alternative fuels and vehicle deployment barriers.

The workshop was intended to educate stakeholders of their statutory and regulatory alternative fuel and vehicle use obligations, provide an overview of available alternative fuels and vehicles, and provide a hands-on live overview of web-based mapping tools by fuel type. In addition, it provided discussion opportunities designed to solve technical and logistical hurdles that prevent collaboration among stakeholders.

The presentations were well organized and very informative for the diverse group. The EPAct-Mandated fleet compliance requirements were followed by options for consideration in meeting those requirements. Alternative fuels must have infrastructure; merely switching fleet vehicles to one alternative was not the best choice if there were no reasonably located fueling stations for that alternative. The options discussed included Bio-Diesel, CNG, Propane, Ethanol, and Electric. Infrastructure was also discussed, which includes fleet mapping and fueling location. Solutions for alternative fuel locations included: in-house development, software, and online location systems. After the presentations there was a break-out session and lunch, which gave many of the attendees a chance to collaborate and discuss the solutions. This also provided an atmosphere in which everyone could make the personal connections needed to make these solutions a reality. The attendees left the workshop with the information and contacts necessary to enhance opportunities, to achieve compliance, and to expand deployment of alternative fuels and vehicles.

Tools and Resources for Fleets

EPAct Alternative Fuels and Vehicles Workshop is a post from: San Diego Clean Fuels Coalition

Here’s a recap of some of the media coverages before and after San Diego Clean Fuels Coalition’s San Diego Alternative Fuels Education Day on Saturday November 21, 2009.

KPBS, Nov 21, 2009: San Diego Alternative Fuels Education Day - Alternative Fuels event offers public peek at new vehicles. “The event includes presentations by representatives of Nissan, E-Tec, SDG&E, and others who are helping to transform the San Diego region into the country’s leading zone for clean vehicles. Actual vehicles such as the Nissan LEAF, Chevy Volt, the Anyev, and others will be on display.”

San Diego Metropolitan Magazine, Nov 4, 2009: Get A Peek At Alternative Fueled Vehicles. “The San Diego Alternative Fuels Education Day is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Town & Country Resort and Convention Center on Fashion Valley Road. The free event marks the first time that all mass-market electric vehicles will be displayed together in one place, along with the electric charger vendors who will be part of a more than $100 million infrastructure investment in the San Diego region starting next year.”

Fox 5 News: Is the Nissan Leaf taking over the Aptera? Nov 20, 2009

www.youtube.com/watch?v=fN4aNcDwzlM

San Diego News Network (SDNN), Nov 21, 2009: Electric car makers battle for consumers in San Diego. “Nissan, General Motors, Tesla, Mitsubishi and Honda are displaying test models, some of which will hit the mass market in 2010.”

SignOn San Diego (San Diego Union-Tribune,) Nov 19, 2009: SDG&E, politicians turn over new Leaf. “Nissan, San Diego Gas & Electric and local politicians Thursday showed off the Leaf, a car they hope will make a dent in the effort to wean the nation from fossil fuels and cut down on greenhouse-gas emissions. A five-seat hatchback — this model was a light green — the car is designed to travel about 100 miles between charges and cost about the same as comparable gasoline cars.”

EnergyVortex.com: SDG&E, Nissan Unveil Zero-Emission, All-Electric Vehicle. “As part of its commitment to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by 15 percent from its vehicle fleet by 2012, SDG&E will be adding 15 Nissan new zero-emission electric vehicles to the utility’s current fleet of 200 alternative-fuel vehicles. ”As the region becomes a pioneer launch site for these advanced vehicles and the charging infrastructure, San Diego will continue on its course to become ‘plug-in ready’ and a national center for clean technology, fostering less dependence on fossil fuels, new ‘green’ jobs and a healthier environment,” said Debra L. Reed, president and chief executive officer of SDG&E.

PR-Inside.com, Nov 19, 2009: SDG&E, Nissan Unveil Zero-Emission, All-Electric Vehicle in San Diego Electric Vehicle Charger Showcased as San Diego Gets ‘Plug In’ Ready. “In August, the U.S. Department of Energy awarded $99.8 million to Electric Transportation Engineering Corp : (eTec), a wholly owned subsidiary of ECOtality, Inc. : (OTCBB: ETLY), to implement an ambitious transportation electrification project in five markets, including San Diego. The California Energy Commission : also awarded eTec $8 million to support the infrastructure deployment in San Diego. With the two grants, eTec, with support from SDG&E and others, will deploy up to 2,250 charging stations, helping to position the San Diego region as the nationwide leader in electric vehicle infrastructure.”

SignOn San Diego (San Diego Union-Tribune) Nov 20, 2009: Batteries not included - Buyers of Nissan’s Leaf electric vehicle will lease power pack. “The new Leaf electric car Nissan unveiled yesterday at San Diego Gas & Electric Co. headquarters will not include batteries in the sale price. Drivers instead will lease them, and pay for them in part with the money they save by not having to buy gasoline. The strategy is designed to overcome one of the biggest roadblocks to getting electric cars in people’s garages — the high cost of batteries — and also deal with the fact that the batteries may outlast the cars.”

TreeHugger.com Forums, Nov 13, 2009: The Chevy Volt in the Solar City. “Eco Investment Club has been chosen to premiere the Chevrolet Volt in San Diego at a special, event featuring the pre-production version of Chevy’s extended-range electric vehicle. This marks San Diego’s first look at the highly anticipated Chevy Volt. Chevy’s Western Region Environment & Energy Specialist Shad Balch will be available for interviews about the Chevy Volt, which is scheduled to go into production in less than a year.”

GlennMosier.com, Nov 15, 2009: All electric Nissan Leaf in San Diego November 21st. “Sometimes it pays to be an early adapter [sic]. In August the U.S. Department of Energy announced a grant of $99.8 million to implement the largest transportation electrification project in U.S. history. San Diego was one of only five cities selected. One thousand Nissan Leafs will be deployed in San Diego market. The San Diego Nissan Leaf early adapters [sic] will receive the FREE use of a residential charging station. SDG&E will track, monitor and evaluate.”

LaJollaLight.com, Nov 19, 2009: Nissan unveils electric vehicle at SDG&E headquarters. “The first 1,000 Nissan Leaf vehicles, which produce no emissions, will be delivered to fleet operators and select members of the public late next year and hit showrooms in 2012, according to SDG&E. The utility has partnered with with Nissan to make San Diego County one of the nation’s first “plug-in” ready regions capable of supporting all-electric vehicles.”

Wall Street Journal online.wsj.com, Nov 19, 2009: SDG&E, Nissan Unveil Zero-Emission, All-Electric Vehicle in San Diego. “The Nissan LEAF and several styles of electric vehicle charge units will be on display at the San Diego Alternative Fuels Education Day November 21 at the Towne and Country Resort and Convention Center, which is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.”

San Diego Alternative Fuels Education Day Gave Public Peek at New Vehicles is a post from: San Diego Clean Fuels Coalition

The following content is republished with full approval of Cuong Huynh and CleanCarTalk.com.

I had a chance to visit with Jim Ruby, Manager of Fleet Services, and Greg Nishihira, Business Manager of Fleet Services at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD.) We talked about fleet operations at UCSD that support numerous university functions and the many programs that Jim and Greg are spearheading to achieve sustainable transportation for the school.

UCSD is reducing its reliance on conventional, gas-powered vehicles, and capitalizing on new technology by:

• Replacing older vehicles with hybrid and electric models
• Running its shuttle fleet on 20% biodiesel or compressed natural gas
• Installing diesel particulate traps on shuttle buses to significantly reduce particulates
• Collaborating with students on biofuel research

By changing purchasing and maintenance procedures, UCSD’s Fleet Services has become a California certified Vehicle Service & Repair Model Shop. This is the Model P2 Shop Program (P2 for Pollution Prevention,) California’s implementation program to eliminate or reduce waste generation at automotive repair shops.

Among Fleet Services’ improved maintenance and repair procedures are:

• Recap tires on shuttle fleet, which require 30% less energy and 66% less oil to produce and cost 30% to 60% less than new tires
• Synthetic transmission fluid lengthening shuttle fleet service intervals and decreasing hazardous waste

Below is part 1 of our conversation, with Fleet Services photos showing electric, hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles in action in and around the UCSD campus.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxnkzFmbc6s

UC San Diego’s Fleet Services – Pushing for Sustainable Solutions in Vehicle Operations is a post from: San Diego Clean Fuels Coalition

Here are some resources on alternative fuel fleets that both the consumers and fleet operators will find useful.

• Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center. This Web site educates consumers and fleets on alternative fuels and advanced vehicles.
• Fuel Economy.gov. This Web site compares gas mileage, emissions, air pollution ratings, and safety data for new and used vehicles.
• SmartWay^SM Transport is an innovative collaboration between EPA and the freight sector designed to improve energy efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions, and improve energy security. Learn more about what SmartWay can do for you.

EPA’s SmartWay Transport Partnership

The EPA SmartWay Transport is a voluntary partnership with the ground freight industry aimed at reducing freight and fleet sector energy consumption and related greenhouse gas emissions. Their site includes the FLEET Performance Model. FLEET is Freight Logistics Environmental and Energy Tracking Performance Model. It allows a company to quantify the environmental performance of their fleet operations. Users input the number of trucks in the fleet, gallons of fuel consumed, and mileage accumulated into the model and it expresses the company’s environmental performance for CO2, Nox and PM emissions. In addition, the model evaluates the effectiveness of innovative fuel saving and emission reduction strategies that companies have integrated into their fleet operations.

Fleet Buyers Guide

The One-Stop Shop For Fleets guide is designed to educate fleet managers and policy makers about alternative fuels and vehicles and help them determine whether the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPAct) affects them. Use the site to figure if your fleet is covered under EPAct, obtain pricing and technical specifications for light- and heavy-duty AFVs, find an alternative fueling station in your area, or research information about state AFV purchasing incentives and laws.

Consumer guide

In the market for a new car? The Green Vehicle Guide will help you choose the cleanest and most fuel efficient vehicle that meets your need. The Guide rates cars and trucks according to their emissions and fuel economy performance and provides you with information on how to make environmentally-informed choices when purchasing a vehicle.

Resources for Alternative Fuel Fleet Buyers is a post from: San Diego Clean Fuels Coalition