Jim Ellis Autos donated the use of a Wheego to UGA’s Athletic Department. WNEG-TV’s Rachel Garrett covered the event:

ATHENS, GA - UGA just found a new way to go green. Jim Ellis dealership in Atlanta just donated a brand new electric car to the university. The car is a two passenger Wheego Whip and runs on a sealed lead-acid battery that runs 40 miles per charge. The Whip is a low speed vehicle and goes a maximum of 35 miles per hour.

The company also makes a faster speed vehicle for highway driving that gets up to 65 miles per hour. The Athletic Department will be using the car throughout be week for on campus driving and then Saturday football gamedays.

FROM WHEEGO Electric Cars:

ATLANTA (Aug. 25, 2010) – WHEEGO ELECTRIC CARS, manufacturer of all-electric vehicles, today announced its Wheego Whip is heading off to college – specifically, to Athens, Ga. – where it will become the newest vehicle in the University of Georgia’s campus fleet for fall 2010. Jim Ellis Wheego of Atlanta will loan the Wheego Whip LSV (Low Speed Vehicle) to university officials for use in a variety of roles across campus for the remainder of the year.

The vehicle will be especially prominent during UGA Game Days for the 2010 football season, where Bulldogs from across the nation will see electric vehicles in action for themselves.

“This is a great way for the UGA campus community – including faculty, staff, students and athletics fans – to
see how easy it is to incorporate an all-electric, zeroemission vehicle into their everyday life,” Wheego CEO
Mike McQuary said.

“We’re also excited that this particular Wheego Whip has been loaned in partnership with Jim Ellis Wheego.

The Wheego Whip LSV is available now at Jim Ellis Wheego and other dealers across the country. It runs on sealed lead-acid batteries and qualifies for a 10 percent federal tax credit in 2010. With a sticker price of $18,995, the Wheego Whip LSV net price is just over $17,000.

The Whip LSV is an “around-town” car, with a range of about 40 miles per charge and a maximum speed of 35 miles per hour.

Jim Ellis Wheego is also taking orders for the Wheego LiFe full-speed electric vehicle. The LiFe is fully crash-tested and highway-ready, and will begin shipping to customers in October. The LiFe goes 100 miles on a charge and runs on lithium batteries. The MSRP of the LiFe is $32,995; it qualifies for a $7,500 federal tax credit and a $5,000 Georgia tax credit.

At the turn of the 20th century, drivers grew accustomed to putting gasoline in their cars instead of feeding their horses. Now several car manufacturers are hoping you won’t mind plugging in your car instead of filling it up at the pump.

But with slow speeds and high prices, mainstream America has not embraced electric cars. Most major car manufacturers and several smaller start-up manufacturers are racing to create an all-electric car capable of hitting the highway without breaking the bank.

Nissan, Mitsubishi, Chevrolet and Ford have announced plans to produce highway-speed electric cars within the next year.

The Leaf

The Nissan Leaf is racing to be the first all-electric car capable of highway speeds from a major manufacturer. The mid-size hatchback will drive 100 miles on one charge and seat five, according to Nissan. It will retail for about $32,780 and is eligible for the full $7,500 federal tax credit.

Steve Cobb, Leaf sales consultant at Royal Palm Nissan, said the dealership expects to receive a demo car in January. The cars will be available for purchase in South Florida by April, he said.

The Leaf can reach 90 mph and will cost less than $3 for a full charge, he said. Nissan has been working on the Leaf for 17 years, Cobb said.

A navigation system will come standard on the Leaf and it will guide drivers to nearby charging stations, said Angela Montoya, Internet sales director at Royal Palm Nissan. Charging stations will be installed at the dealership as well as buyers’ homes, she said.

Online reservations, made with a $99 refundable fee, opened in April. Montoya said the reservation also asks several questions to determine whether the Leaf fits the customer’s driving needs. The Leaf is designed for people who drive within the 100-mile range every day. Just like gas-powered cars, the dashboard will display when the car needs to be recharged.

The Volt

While the Volt is not powered by electric alone, Chevrolet said it can be a primary car because of the approximately 340-mile total range.

For about the first 40 miles, the Volt is powered by electricity from its lithium-ion battery. When the battery runs low, the gas-powered engine switches on to generate electricity, providing another 300 miles on a full tank. It is powered by electricity at all times, but is emissions-free only while using battery power.

The four-passenger sedan can reach 100 mph. Chevrolet estimates that drivers who commute 60 miles a day could save about 550 gallons of gas per year, compared with a similar-sized car averaging 30 miles per gallon.

Chevrolet said it will produce 10,000 Volts by the end of 2011 and an additional 30,000 in 2012.

Before receiving Volts, dealerships will install 240-volt charging stations.

The Whip LiFe

Atlanta-based Wheego might beat the big boys to the punch with its second car, the Whip LiFe. The all-electric car can reach 65 mph and will ship starting Sept. 1. It seats two and has a range of about 100 miles on one charge, according to Wheego.

“We hope to be the first affordable all-electric solution,” said Susan Nicholson, manager of public relations for Wheego Electric Cars.

Many electric cars on the U.S. market are also not capable of highway speeds. The GEM car from Chrysler’s Global Electric Motorcars division can go up to 25 mph and doesn’t meet the same safety requirements as faster cars. It can go about 40 miles on a charge and costs about $13,000.

The California-based Zap Xebra can reach speeds of 40 mph and has three wheels, which legally makes it a motorcycle. It can go about 25 miles on a charge and retails for about $12,000. The Tesla Roadster, in production since 2008, can reach 125 mph, but retails for more than $100,000.

Several manufacturers have electric cars in production stages or have cars available only in Europe. Daimler began testing electric Smart cars in London in 2007; it says they will be mass-produced in the U.S. starting in 2012.

The Wheego LiFe will retail for about $35,990, with air conditioning and delivery. It qualifies for the maximum tax incentive of $7,500, which brings the price down to about $28,490. Wheego began taking reservations, with a $100 refundable fee, in June. The cars are assembled in California.

Brandware Public Relations (www.brandwaregroup.com), an independently owned public relations boutique firm with deep roots in automotive, technology and enthusiast brands, has been selected as public relations agency of record for Wheego, an Atlanta-based electric vehicle (EV) company.

Brandware will support the launch of the Wheego LiFe, the first affordable highway-ready, crash- tested, all-electric car available in America. The Wheego LiFe, as well as the company’s current low-speed city EV, the Wheego Whip LSV, is supported by a growing national dealer network, including such automotive retail leaders as Jim Ellis Auto Dealerships.

(view the film at the KHON2 website) 

A new electric car was introduced in Hawaii.

But this one could change the landscape when it comes to how drivers think about the future.

How would you like to park downtown for free? How would you like to drive in the zip lane with just one person in the car? How would you like the government to give you a tax break?

All these things are possible with the right electric car.

Meet the Wheego, made in America, ready for sale right now.

“The two cars you see here are equipped with lead acid batteries which is the same technology the battery in your conventional car has, so they are fully recyclable just like your conventional car battery is now,” said Mark Piscioneri from Green Energy Outlet.

These are commuter vehicles – 50 miles per charge, 35 miles per hour.

But next month, Piscioneri expects delivery of the next Wheegos similar to these.

“But it is a 65 mile per hour vehicle. It has air bags and all the safety features that conventional cars have so it can be driven anywhere in Hawaii and it also has a one hundred mile range,” said Piscioneri.

Wheego is simple to drive – there’s forward and reverse. No transmission, no noise and no emissions. Hawaii is 90 percent dependent on petroleum imports – one third for aviation fuel, one third for energy production and one third for ground transportation.

“Of those three petroleum uses, the ones that we can affect, meaning private citizens and businesses, we can affect the ground transportation part. That’s something that we can do,” said Piscioneri.

In the future, virtually any mall or shopping center could set up a re-charging station by using photovoltaic energy produced from the sun and charging a small fee to customers.

“And that money makes their business more profitable, they’ll hire more of our friends and neighbors, and we will begin to create a sustainable economy for the future.” Said Piscioneri.

HONOLULU – Hawaii Green Energy Outlet, a business that markets green building and energy products, on Aug. 14 demonstrated two upcoming all-electric vehicles manufactured by Wheego Electric Cars, the Honolulu Star Advertiser reported.

The Wheego LiFe travels about 100 miles on a charge and retails for $32,995. The car also qualifies for a $7,500 federal tax credit.

The Wheego LiFe’s 115V lithium battery pack can be charged from a standard 120V outlet, a 240V outlet or any of the J1772-standard charging stations being installed in public locations throughout the U.S. It is available in red, white, blue, black, silver and green.

Hawaii will be among the first markets for the LiFe, which is set to ship in September.

The Wheego Whip LiFe is a two-seat subcompact car that can reach speeds of 35 mph and travels about 40 miles on a single charge. It retails for $18,995.

The cars are available for test drives and pre-orders. 

A J1772-standard charging station, manufactured by Coulomb Technologies, was also unveiled last week at Green Energy Outlet’s location in Kakaako. 

Wheego Electric Cars, headquartered in Atlanta, is led by CEO Mike McQuary. The cars are assembled in Ontario, Calif. 

Wheego Hawaii Unveiled Cars At Green Energy Outlet

HONOLULU — Hawaii’s first 240-volt electric cars are set to debut in Honolulu.

Wheego Hawaii unveiled the two cars at Green Energy Outlet on Saturday.

The low-speed “Whip” will be available for a test drive, as well the “LiFe,” which looks exactly like the “Whip” but is a full-speed car that is crash-tested and approved for highways. The LiFe can be ordered at the event.

Both cars support the 240-volt standard announced in January by the Society of Automotive Engineers. Wheego officials said using that voltage cuts charging times by more than half.

The event also unveiled ChargePoint charging stations.

The movement to make Hawaii’s roads greener passed a milestone yesterday.

The first high-voltage electric car that supports the 240-volt international charging standard J-1772, the Wheego, and its dedicated charging station were unveiled at the Green Energy Outlet’s location in Kakaako. The cars were available for test drives and pre-orders.

The low-speed version of the Wheego, called the Whip, can go up to 35 mph and as far as 40 miles on a charge. The Whip and its full-speed counterpart, LiFe, are front-wheel-drive cars with power locks, remote-control doors, power windows and air bags for both the driver and single passenger.

“They didn’t sacrifice anything,” said Ron Hansen of Wheego Hawaii. “It has all the amenities you expect out of a vehicle.”

The Whip retails for $18,995.

The Wheego LiFe looks the same as the Whip, but differs in performance. It is a crash-tested car approved by the U.S. Department of Transportation for highway driving that can go up to 65 mph with its 115-volt lithium battery.

Hawaii will be among the first in the nation to receive the LiFe when it ships in September. It retails for $32,995.

Coulomb Technologies developed the charging station for the cars, the ChargePoint, which offers three levels of charging the electric vehicle.

A full charge on the Wheego takes about eight hours on level 1, which accommodates a standard AC plug at 120 volts and 20 amps. Level 2 is the triple-phase alternating current at 240 volts and 80 amps and would fully charge the Wheego in two hours.

The fastest, level 3, delivers electricity at 300 to 500 volts and 100 amps and can charge the Wheego in 30 minutes.

Michael Leone, president of Green Global Communities, said it is essential to have charging stations available before selling electric vehicles to the public.

“The cars were out there, but people were hesitant to buy them because there was nowhere to charge them,” he said. “What a dream it would be to have all electric cars.”

He said he hopes to have 5,000 charging stations installed in homes and businesses islandwide within the next year.

ChargePoint also offers an application for smartphones to see locations of unoccupied stations and will send charging status notifications via text messages. The ChargePoint application is free from the iTunes app store.

“We can’t continue to live on petroleum anymore,” said Mark Piscioneri, energy vehicle consultant for Pacific Energy Vehicles. “Oil gets harder to find and more dangerous to get.”

“When we get into the Wheego — we go everywhere,” he said. “Well, there’s one place we don’t go, a gas station.”

The Wheego vehicles are assembled in Ontario, Calif.

Press release issued by Green Energy Outlet, August 11, 2010

When:  Saturday, August 14th, 12PM to 4PM.
Where: Green Energy Outlet, 575G Cooke St. in Kaka’ako.  GEO is two blocks from Sports Authority, on the corner or Ilaniwai and Cooke.
Why: Be part of history, test drive the Wheego Whip (LSV) and other electric vehicles (EVs), enjoy an afternoon with expert speakers discussing the world of electrical cars, listen to live music and enter to win an Apple IPad.

Come celebrate the debut of the first electric cars in Hawaii that support the new 240 Volt international charging standard, J-1772–which cuts charging time by more than half.  The Wheego “Whip,” a Low Speed Vehicle (LSV) will be available for a test drive.  The Wheego “LiFe,” which looks exactly the same as the “Whip” but is a full speed car that is crash tested and DOT approved for highways and will be available to order at the event.  Delivery of the “LiFe” will take place in September.

Call Green Energy Outlet at 591-1900 to RSVP for a test drive.

With its’ 115 Volt Lithium battery, the “LiFe” can go 100 miles on a charge at 65 MPH.  It will be the first car in Hawaii that supports the new international standard plug, the J-1772.  This worldwide standard was agreed upon by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) so that owners of a new EV would always be able to pull into a charging station and know that their car would be compatible.

Both cars are American made by Wheego Electric Cars, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Assembly of the LiFE is in Ontario, California. You can buy the Wheego Whip LSV this Saturday and pre order the Wheego LiFe for delivery in September.

WE will also unveil Coulomb Technologies Level II ChargePoint Networked Electric Vehicle Charging Stations.  ChargePoint stations bring unmatched technology features including charging status notification by SMS text or email notification, location of unoccupied charging stations via smart phones and a ChargePoint iPhone App.

GEO will be featuring special guests speaking on the exciting new world of electric cars and EV charging.
Ron Hansen, Wheego Hawaii
Jeff Mikulina, Blue Planet Foundation
Mark Duda, Hawaii Solar Energy Assoc.
Mark Piscioneri, Pacific Electric Vehicles
Peter Fletter, Sunetric
Mike Leone, HiEV
Peter Rosegg, HECO

…and some other exciting speakers.
 

In addition to the Charging Station, GEO sells Green Building and Energy Products. 

For information on the Green Energy Outlet (GEO) and the Saturday, August 14th event:
Contact:  Frank Rogers, President
Green Energy Outlet (GEO)
Phone:  591-1900
Email: frogers1@mac.com