TAMPA –

A version of the future arrived at eight city parking lots Wednesday.

Ten charging stations for electric cars sparked to life, marking the first time in Tampa’s history that such innovations were plunked down amid parking meters and pay stations.

It’s only [...]]]> by Keith Morelli for Tampa Bay Online, Oct. 13, 2011

TAMPA –

A version of the future arrived at eight city parking lots Wednesday.

Ten charging stations for electric cars sparked to life, marking the first time in Tampa’s history that such innovations were plunked down amid parking meters and pay stations.

It’s only the beginning, city officials and industry captains vowed.

Today, 10 stations. Tomorrow … who knows?

Cue “The Jetsons” theme.

“Meet Bob Buckhorn …”

Tampa’s mayor pulled up to the downtown Jackson Street parking lot in a borrowed, silent Chevrolet Volt, parked it next to the charging station, plugged it in and juiced up the fire engine red car.

“It’s as easy as that,” Buckhorn said.

Of course, nobody can predict what the future holds, but one vision is that electric cars will hum along Tampa’s urban landscape a decade or two down the road, and charging stations will be as common as parking spaces.

“We’ve got to reduce the carbon footprint,” Buckhorn said to a small gathering of city employees and reporters Wednesday morning. “We can’t keep doing what we’ve always done.”

He admitted later that the electric car industry is in a conundrum. People are hesitant to buy electric cars because of a lack of charging stations; and there are not many charging stations, which cost $8,000 each, because of the dearth of electric cars on the road.

Industry speculators are hoping that will change.

“My feeling is that electric vehicles will play a very important part in the future of transportation,” said Helda Rodriguez, president and co-founder of NovaCharge, the Tampa company installing the charging stations in the city.

“It isn’t the only technology we’re looking at, though,” she said. “Your vehicle has to match your lifestyle. Some vehicles will run with clean natural gas or another alternative fuel that may be available. But, electric cars will be a big part of fleets and most consumers’ lives. They do solve so many problems for us.

“I don’t envision an all-electric future,” she said. “The future will be a blend of many good technologies each serving a certain function. We have started moving in the right direction.”

The unveiling of the charging stations on Wednesday marked the first time such devices have been placed on city property. But they’re not the first in Tampa.

“We have every type of location,” Rodriguez said, “including corporate parking lots, restaurants, hotels, some shopping areas. It really runs the gamut. We have charging stations in some of the garages of the downtown high-rises, the office buildings.”

She said the hope is to have 150 charging stations in and around the city by the end of the year.

Thanks to a $15 million U.S. Department of Energy grant, there is no cost to the city.

Tampa won’t charge a service fee for use of the charging stations, but motorists will have to pay the normal parking fee in the public lots.

Typically, vehicles with drained batteries will need to be on the charger for four to six hours, Rodriguez said, to get a full charge. The Jackson Street lot charges $1.60 an hour to park.

“So if you’re crossing the Bay to work every day,” she said, “you can park your car where you work and leave it until it’s fully charged.”

Each charging station can power-up all types of electric vehicles from cars to scooters to Segways, Rodriguez said.

Ultimately, she said, the hope is that the industry will reduce carbon emissions from gasoline-powered vehicles and create jobs in the Tampa Bay area.

“We want to see a new burst in our economy with jobs for electric vehicle mechanics and sales people for this new industry,” she said.

The stations are in a network that allows NovaCharge to monitor which ones are being used and which ones aren’t. So, five or 10 years down the road, the company can identify where to install more stations, she said.

Richard Nimphie, owner of Suncoast Electric Vehicles in St. Petersburg, said his dealership has sold eight Wheego electric cars and has orders for several more. He said the total number of fully electric vehicles in use in the Tampa Bay area likely is fewer than 100.

Among the concerns of consumers is the lack of charging stations, he said. “Range anxiety,” he said. “They’re asking, ‘How far can I go on a charge?’ “

But most people who would use an electric car to commute to work wouldn’t need to worry, he said. Cars can go about 100 or more miles on a charge, he said, and 70 percent of working people only drive 15 to 20 miles to work.

“Most people live close enough to where they work that they can charge their cars at their homes overnight,” Nimphie said.

He said Hillsborough Community College just took delivery of an electric van, and his sales staff is constantly making proposals to municipalities across the state to sell them electric fleet cars.

Tampa’s fleet of vehicles has no fully electric cars but does include some hybrids, said Irvin Lee, director of Tampa’s public works department.

The city gets vehicles through a bid process, and manufacturers are welcome to offer up their electric models. But they just aren’t cheap enough to win bids, Lee said.

“We put out the specs and if Chevy wants to bid a Volt, I’m sure they could or would,” he said, “but it’s not going to be at a cost we’re looking for.”

A new Volt costs about $32,000 after a $7,500 federal tax credit.

Hillsborough County commissioners in June voted to install 10 charging stations across the county. Some went into parking lots of four libraries, a downtown parking garage and at the county’s Environmental Protection Commission headquarters.

KENNEBUNK, Maine — Renewable energy was the main theme at the Kennebunk Light and Power District’s open house on Saturday, Oct. 1, where people enjoyed refreshments, horse-drawn carriage rides, balloon animals made by a clown, bucket truck rides and a raffle to win money off one’s next [...]]]> by Kristy Wagner for Seacoastonline.com, October 6, 2011

KENNEBUNK, Maine — Renewable energy was the main theme at the Kennebunk Light and Power District’s open house on Saturday, Oct. 1, where people enjoyed refreshments, horse-drawn carriage rides, balloon animals made by a clown, bucket truck rides and a raffle to win money off one’s next light bill.

“This is our eighth one,” said Sharon Staz, general manager and treasurer of Kennebunk Light and Power District, a not-for-profit utility company, speaking of the event. “We do them every other year and we figure that way it will stay fresh and people will enjoy them more.”

According to Staz, KLPD has been in the town of Kennebunk since 1893. Staz said the not-for-profit company began putting on the open houses in 1998, the year she began working for the utility.

“We started putting them on the first year I got here as a way to introduce the general manager to the community and have the community come down to see what we’re all about,” said Staz, who greeted everyone who showed up to the open house and thanked each person as they left.

She also went on to explain how KLPD employees volunteered their time to put on the open house.

According to Staz, the only sponsor funds contributed to the event came from NextEra Energy, KLPD’s renewable energy supplier located in Juno Beach, Fla.

“This year we’re very privileged that NextEra Energy, who is our energy supplier, has donated the funds for a raffle so that people that are here can buy raffle tickets two for $1 and six for $2,” said Staz. “(Raffle ticket holders) can win $100 towards their light bill, $75 towards their light bill or $50 towards their light bill.”

Staz said KLPD plans to donate all of the proceeds from the raffle to York County Food Rescue.

Staz estimated that about 85 percent of Kennebunk receives its power service from KLPD, and she said that the open house gives the community an opportunity to get a closer look and understanding of the services the company provides.

To represent the work KLPD employees perform on a daily basis, all of the company’s utility trucks were out on display, including two bucket trucks and a digger truck.

Justin Webster of Kennebunkport and Kevin Vezina of Springvale, both employees of KLPD, operated the bucket trucks and offered trips skyward in the work bucket.

Jennifer Niese, co-chair of Kennebunk’s Energy Efficiency Committee, volunteered to run a booth at the event where she provided information on how to make homes more energy efficient. She also passed out information on the Green Sneakers Project, an event scheduled later in October where volunteers will go door to door in Kennebunk to share home weatherization and energy information.

To top off the renewable energy theme at the open house, a Wheego electric car from Weirs Motors in Arundel sat parked on display.

“We have always promoted energy conservation,” said Staz, who had the image of an energy-efficient light bulb painted on her cheek.

Safety was also a running theme at the event while Ron Francoeur, a second-class lineman at KLPD, stood at a display table and gave explanations on mechanical failures and hazards. Among other items, his table featured broken and burned cables, a tree branch burned from an electrical wire, dirt that had melted into glass from extreme electrical heat, and a cut-out switch.

Upon leaving the event, Staz encouraged children and adults to take a Kennebunk Light and Power District trick-or-treat bag containing activity books on electrical safety for kids, an “Energy Savers Booklet” for adults, and pamphlets on electrical safety.

Between noon and 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 16, the City of Mercer Island is co-hosting a National Plug-In Day event at Luther Burbank Park as part of a nationwide gathering of plug-in vehicles.

The event will take place in the north parking lot of [...]]]> by the Mercer Island, WA  Staff, October 5, 2011

Between noon and 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 16, the City of Mercer Island is co-hosting a National Plug-In Day event at Luther Burbank Park as part of a nationwide gathering of plug-in vehicles.

The event will take place in the north parking lot of Luther Burbank Park on Mercer Island.

Speakers will begin presentations at 1 p.m. in the park amphitheater, and some of the cars will be parked along the walking path in the adjacent meadow.

The event, according to organizers, “is to show America that electric vehicles are here and viable — so buy one already.”

During the same weekend there will be local gatherings in 15 cities, organized by Plug In America, Sierra Club and the Electric Auto Association. Over 50 plug-in vehicles are scheduled to be at the event.

There are several home conversions and interesting projects, but the vast majority are factory electric vehicles. There will be some representatives from local electric utilities and makers of charging stations as well.

Most Americans still have not even seen a modern electric vehicle, much less ridden in one. This is a chance to see the cars and maybe try a few out.

At the event people can see: 24 Nissan Leafs (some giving rides), 14 Tesla Roadsters (some giving rides), eight home conversions, four vehicles from the 90s California program, three other factory vehicles like Chevy Volt, Wheego LiFe, Lectric Leopard.

Electric cars offer a smooth, quiet ride; the torque and instant throttle response; and the low maintenance and operating costs.

The cars are finally here; incentives and ordinances are in place — consumer demand will be the critical factor in the very near future.

Sponsors of the event include: Puget Sound Energy (sponsor), City of Mercer Island (sponsor),  Plug In America (organizer), Sierra Club (organizer), Seattle Electric Vehicle Association (the Electric Auto Association is an organizer), Charge NW, with a Coulomb Chargepoint charging station. Representatives from a few local plug-in dealers are: Stadium Nissan, MC Electric, Go Green and UW, which will bring information on a special project.

To learn more, visit www.pluginamerica.org/pluginday.

Wheego CEO Mike McQuary said, “We are excited to bring the Wheego LiFe to western North Carolina. The LiFe is available for delivery now, through our new dealer, Hunter [...]]]> ATLANTA, GA (June 27,  2011) – WHEEGO ELECTRIC CARS,  a U.S. manufacturer of all-electric cars, today announced their newest dealer, Hunter Automotive Group, in Asheville, North Carolina.

Wheego CEO Mike McQuary said, “We are excited to bring the Wheego LiFe to western North Carolina. The LiFe is available for delivery now, through our new dealer, Hunter Automotive Group. With 70 years’ experience, Hunter Automotive Group is a trusted name for sales and service. We are happy to have them representing the Wheego brand.”

Scott Laffin, General Sales Manager of Hunter Volvo, sees great interest in the Wheego all-electric vehicles. “We see the Wheego LiFe as a tremendous opportunity to serve the environmentally conscious people in Western North Carolina and look forward to a long lasting partnership.”

The Wheego LiFe is available now at the Hunter Automotive dealership at 252 Patton Avenue in Asheville.

The Wheego LiFe travels approximately 100 miles on a single charge and retails for $35990 with air conditioning. It qualifies for a $7,500 Federal tax credit, as well as many state tax incentives. The Wheego LiFe comes fully-equipped with driver and passenger airbags, anti-lock brakes, power windows and locks, and optional air conditioning. The 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 United States. It is available in red, white, blue, black, silver, and green. The Wheego LiFe is a two-seat subcompact car with fit, finish and features designed for today’s environmentally-conscious commuters. 

About Hunter Automotive Group

The Hunter Automotive Group was founded in 1940 by Tom Hunter, Sr.  Today the company is owned and operated by Tom and Randy Hunter who are fourth generation dealer principles.

Hunter Automotive Group is comprised of three dealerships including Hunter Subaru Hyundai located at 2520 Asheville Highway in Hendersonville, Hunter Nissan Lincoln located at 1340 Spartanburg Highway in Hendersonville, and Hunter Volvo and Wheego Electric Cars located at 252 Patton Avenue in Asheville.

About Wheego Electric Cars

Wheego Electric Cars is an innovation-driven and environmentally-conscious manufacturer of Electric Vehicles (EVs).  Under the leadership of Mike McQuary, CEO and former MindSpring entrepreneur, Wheego Electric Cars has become a leader in the integration of advanced technology components.  Wheego Electric Cars is one of the first EV companies to deliver affordable fully capable, street legal all-electric cars for everyday consumer use. The Wheego line of electric vehicles is emission-free, making them an ideal choice for consumers, fleets and businesses who want to reduce their carbon footprint. Wheego is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The cars are assembled in Ontario, California.

For more information about Wheego, visit the company website at www.wheego.net. To inquire about dealership opportunities, email info@wheego.net.

(View the video here.)

O’Brien Auto Group in Salem is plugged into the electric car market.

The dealership has received the first and only Wheego fully electric car in Oregon.

The auto group is one of three dealerships on [...]]]> by Thelma Guerrero-Huston for the Salem, Oregon Statesman Journal, June 22, 2011

(View the video here.)

O’Brien Auto Group in Salem is plugged into the electric car market.

The dealership has received the first and only Wheego fully electric car in Oregon.

The auto group is one of three dealerships on the West Coast that will sell the Wheego LiFe, said Branton Plaster, customer service manager at O’Brien.

“I was expecting it to look like a golf cart, but it doesn’t look anything like that,” Plaster said. “It’s not made of fiberglass, and it has all the amenities of a luxury car.”

The new Wheego LiFe joins the Zap car, Nissan Leaf and other electric cars in Salem and Oregon.

According to the manufacturer, Atlanta-based Wheego Electric Cars, the subcompact two-seater carries a $32,995 sticker price and is eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit.

Under current Oregon law, residents who purchase a LiFe would qualify for a $1,500 tax credit and as much as a $750 tax credit if they were to install a charging station on their property.

But that could change if a bill making its way through the state Legislature is approved, said Diana Enright, a spokeswoman with the Oregon Department of Energy.

If the bill were to become law, “the tax credits would sunset on Dec. 31, 2011,” Enright said.

Mike McQuary, the chief executive officer of Wheego Electric Cars, said the company was excited to have O’Brien Auto Group represent Wheego across the state.

“We think that Oregon might lead all states in electric vehicle adoption,” he said, “and we’re happy to team up with an organization that is a clear leader for sales and service in the state.”

The LiFe car comes equipped with driver and passenger airbags, anti-lock brakes and power windows and locks. Air conditioning is optional.

The Wheego LiFe operates on a 115-volt lithium battery pack that can be charged through a standard 120-volt outlet, a 240-volt outlet or J1772 standard charging stations.

Buyers can choose from colors that include red, white, blue, black, silver and green. The car is on sale now.

The auto group has taken orders for six months, Plaster said.

The dealership will receive one more LiFe in the next month or two.

Both will be showcased at the Oregon State Fair.

O’Brien Auto Group plans to install two charging stations on its property “so that people can come in, park the car and charge it,” Plaster said.

Another company — this one a virtual unknown — has pulled into Oregon’s increasingly crowded electric vehicle lane.

The O’Brien Auto Group has been granted an exclusive dealership for the Wheego Life in Oregon and recently received its first vehicle at its dealership in [...]]]> by Ted Sickinger, The Oregonian, June 20, 2011

Another company — this one a virtual unknown — has pulled into Oregon’s increasingly crowded electric vehicle lane.

The O'Brien dealership in Salem has its first Wheego Life on display now, with more models coming as production at a California assembly plant increases. The two-seater sells for about $33,000, but is eligible for significant energy-program rebates.

The O’Brien Auto Group has been granted an exclusive dealership for the Wheego Life in Oregon and recently received its first vehicle at its dealership in Salem. O’Brien hopes to eventually sell 25 to 30 Wheegos a month when the Atlanta-based company cranks up production volume this fall.

Essentially a two-seater, the $33,000 car will go head to head with full-size electric sedans from more established companies such as the Nissan Leaf, the Chevy Volt and upcoming models from car giants Ford and Toyota.

Like Nissan and other companies offering electric models, Wheego Electric Cars hopes Oregon will be a fruitful debut market because of its environmental ethic and the state’s participation in the federal EV project. That program is a stimulus funded effort to establish a public charging infrastructure across six states and study how early adopters use their cars and chargers.

“We know there’s a lot of excitement in Oregon about EVs, so our dealer in Oregon got one of the first cars produced,” said Susan Nicholson, a spokeswoman for Wheego. “Those other big companies have done a good job raising the visibility of the industry and the excitement. … We feel like there’s an opportunity for us to step in. Our car is available now.”

Only in limited quantities, however. Wheego won’t start ramping up production until its assembly contractors in California move into a larger facility. The company is currently seeking investment capital to finance that expansion.

Wheego’s mere existence illustrates how embryonic the electric vehicle market remains.

The company was spun off from a manufacturer of electric recreational vehicles in 2009 and is led by Mike McQuary, the former president of the internet service provider Mindspring. Wheego started off producing a low-speed, neighborhood electric vehicle call the Whip. Limited to 35 mph, that model is street legal, but primarily targeted at government fleets, military bases and retirement communities, Nicholson said.

The Life is the company’s bid to grab a small slice of what is expected to be a huge market. Fully crash tested, it has a top speed of 65 mph and a range of 100 miles on a charge. The body and chassis are produced in China, the motors and batteries in California. Assembly takes place in Ontario, Calif.

The Wheego looks similar to a Smart Car, and some experts expect a proliferation of similar small-form cars over the next decade as automakers struggle to meet stricter federal fleet mileage standards.

The Life isn’t cheap, with its $33,000 base price in the neighborhood of the Nissan Leaf or a low-end BMW. Air conditioning and destination charges add $3,000 to the tab. But it’s eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit, plus state tax credits.

Bengt Halvorsen, an automotive journalist who writes for GreenCarReports.com, said he’s skeptical that Wheego Life will sell in much volume. The company arrived at the tail of the neighborhood vehicle market –a niche dominated by small companies making limited use vehicles for fanatical enthusiasts –and just before the automotive giants bring the full weight of their engineering, supplier and marketing infrastructure to bear on electric vehicles.

“This is shakeout time for these small EV ventures,” Halvorsen said. “Once the major automakers bring their EVs to market, all but a few won’t survive.” 

Part of the problem is pricing, he said. Lithium-ion battery packs are the most expensive component, and economies of scale will give big car companies a major advantage.

Mike O’Brien, owner of the O’Brien Automotive Group, noted that back in the mid 80s, no one thought Japanese car makers would succeed in the luxury car market either.

“Who can look in the crystal ball and say Wheego isn’t the next Honda,” he said. “The opportunity came to us, we thought it looked like a perfect fit in the Salem market, so we grabbed it.

“It’s the consumer who determines what the market is, not some guy sitting forecasting on Wall Street,” O’Brien said.

Nicholson said Wheego isn’t looking for Nissan- or Ford-sized sales volumes.

“We’re hoping to be shipping 100 a month by September,” she said. “We don’t ever expect to be selling a 1,000 cars a week. That’s not part of our game plan right now, and we don’t need to sell that many to be successful because we’re a very small operation.”

Wheego Life

– Ted Sickinger

                Watch the test drive here!

Watch the test drive with Good Day Columbus! in Columbus, Ohio.

With so many electric cars hitting the road in the last few months, it was only a matter of time until we saw the first dedicated dealership for EVs. So here you are, the first all-electric car dealership will open in Florida in three Weeks under [...]]]> AutoEvolution, November 30, 2010