Ct working on an electric car infrastructure future

[1969chargerrtse]

Rell charges council with plug-ins

By Rob Varnon
STAFF WRITER

With the era of the plug-in electric car dawning, Gov. M. Jodi Rell has created a commission to explore avenues of opportunity in Connecticut.

"I want Connecticut to be squarely in the driver's seat when it comes to integrating electric vehicles," Rell said in a statement announcing the formation of an Electric Vehicles Infrastructure Council this week. The council includes representatives from the departments of Motor Vehicles, Economic and Community Development, Environmental Protection, Transportation and Public Utility Control, as well as representatives from various quasi-state agencies, including the Connecticut Development Authority and Connecticut Clean Energy Fund. Northeast Utilities and United Illuminating Co. also are represented on the council.

UI, the electric-power distributor for southeastern Fairfield County and southern New Haven County, has been testing a plug-in car for nearly a year and is working with utilities in other states to create more infrastructure for the vehicles. The state is seeking an $18.9 million grant to further the council's work.

The council is charged with preparing the state to integrate electric vehicles and there's a lot to do because the state is not a leader on that front, according to data from the U.S. Department of Energy. Only 20 states have electric-charging stations available to the public. Connecticut is one of the 30 that doesn't have any. Of the 20 out front on the issue, 18 have 10 or fewer stations.

Oregon has more than 20 and California has more than 400.
The closest station to Fairfield County is in Middle Island, N.Y., on Long Island.

James Fleming, president of the Connecticut Automotive Retailers Association, commended Rell for moving forward on this issue, because the cars are going to start to arrive.

"All the major manufacturers are working on vehicles," he said. "You're going to need infrastructure for vehicles to be charged and capacity to charge them."

General Motors is expected to start selling its Volt next year, while Ford Motor Co. won a $5.9 billion federal grant this year to retool some of its factories to make plug-in electric and hybrid vehicles. Ford has announced plans to make an electric Focus available in 2011. Nissan also is working to roll out a new electric car and Toyota announced the iQ, a four-seater, all-electric commuter car to be launched in 2012.

Silicon Valley's Tesla motors, which received a $465 million federal grant this year, has an electric car on the roads.

Fleming, who said he's been asked to work with the new council, said in addition to planning for infrastructure expansion, the group will look at other issues, including what kinds of safety training emergency responders will need to handle electric-car accidents.

Fleming said this could spark a revolution in several industries because new equipment for cars and infrastructure will have to be made, so manufacturers could and should be involved in the process.

[ChgrSteve67]

California had more than 400.

They have taken most of them out years after GM killed the EV1.
The ones they have not removed are locked.

[bull]

I used to think rechargeable electric cars were a good idea but now I think it's worse than gasoline and diesel. Batteries are worse for the environment and there's no way to generate electricity that's any cleaner than fuel production, except maybe windmills (but that remains to be seen). No matter how you look at it right now there's nothing about electric cars that is cleaner, more cost-effective and more "green" or "sustainable" that what we have now. If these government officials want to do something that's good for the environment and reduces our dependence on foreign oil they should have dumped that $400+ million into developing diesel technology through the engineering of higher mpg and lower emissions instead. It's stupid to create an infrastructure for something that's more costly and worse for the environment than what we have in place now.

[Ghoste]

It sure is greener Bull, what are you in a fantasy world?  Everyone knows that electric cars are better.  The electicity is going to come from windmills and giant offshore thermotidalgenerators all run by magic elves who get to work on flying horses.  We can't have flying horses of course because we live on the wrong side of the rainbows.  All of the puppies will be able to talk too and best of all, the leprechauns are going to keep refilling Obama's amazing stimulus pot so that none of us ever have to work again.  
All of the electric cars will be made from hemp too, just like our clothes and the National Anthem will be changed to John Lennon's "Imagine" only it will all come true.  All you have to do is believe and don't bogart that joint.

[bull]

  I don't think there's even enough BS in that story to fertilize the amount of wacky weed we would need to believe it. But it is very funny. Mind if I copy and paste that and use it as if it were my own?

[Mike DC]

   
The electric grid is only so much more costly that gas when we can buy gas for $2.50 a gallon.  The situation is unlikely to remain that way forever.

And at the risk of getting off the subject, our gas prices are artificially held low by the govt as it is. 

[1969chargerrtse]

I still believe Hydrogen powered cars are the way we will be going overall. The Honda FCX seems to be a winner. I agree that all electric off the grid probably isn't the best long term idea. Main point is we are finally looking for ways to stop or slow down the need for oils from people that want us dead. I say great news for Ct. So much more will come out of the process that we aren't even aware of yet. 

[rick.d]

Me personnaly i think the government should use all electric vehicles and see how that works out for them. (Including Obamas limo). Also, i thought i read that the electrical infrastructure was at its limits right now, and if we all went out and bought electric cars, and plugged them in when we got home from work what is the possibility of blackouts? How much of our electricity is currently produced by coal burning plants, that Obama wants to tax the crap out of, to put them out of business?? My electric bill is high enough as it is, and once everyone buys these $35k electric cars, they will probaly tax gasoline and diesel more because the govt. will take in less revenue from the gas tax. WTF?

[Mike DC]

  

Back in the day, I'll bet Noah & his family probably had to eat a lot of peanut butter sandwiches while Noah dumped their money into that ark. 

 

[aussiemuscle]

Yeah, that'll be a great money spinner. not only will you be paying for your parking, but also your recharge.