Urban Chic in the Windy City The Magnificent Mile goes Electric
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SEE ALSO: Electric Vehicles-Solution or Diversion?
TOTAL EV KNOWLEDGE: EV-MOTORING.COM
By Larry Nutson
Senior Editor, Chicago Bureau
The Auto Channel
The 103rd Chicago Auto Show, the country’s largest in terms of space, brought a variety of cars and trucks to center-stage for 2011. From the muscular 550HP Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 to the eco-friendly Chevrolet Volt cars and trucks for every woman and man were on display and some were even available for test rides.
Appropriate to the Windy City’s urban environs, the show is chock full of electric cars. From the Chevrolet Volt to the Nissan Leaf, Mitsubishi I-MiEV, smart Fortwo, Volvo Electric C30, Ford Focus EV as well as the Ford Transit Connect Electric the air was electric with battery-powered cars.
Chevrolet set up an indoor test track for ride-along drives in the Chevy Volt. Within the display, car battery charging stations gave show visitors a first hand look at “refueling”. The Volt is on sale now in select markets around the U.S, and new plans are in place to quickly expand to other urban areas. About 750 Chevy dealers are set up to sell the Volt and an additional 750 are trained in servicing this new car.
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The 2011 Ford Transit Connect Electric is among the first electric vehicles from this American automaker. Based on a design sold in several worldwide markets, Transit Connect Electric can seat up to 5 passengers. It has sliding side-rear doors and two side-hinged rear doors. It’s front wheel drive and powered by a 74-horsepower electric motor and a 28-kilowatt-hour battery pack. Ford claims a range of 80 miles, a top speed of 75 mph, and a charge time of 6-8 hours on a 240-volt circuit.
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According to reports, Chicago has awarded a $1.9 million contract to San Diego, California-based 350 Green LLC to install 280 electric vehicle charging stations in Chicago and surrounding suburbs by the end of 2011. Electric vehicle manufacturers plan to introduce EVs first in cities with an extensive charging station infrastructure. The 350 Green charging stations will offer either plugging in to a quick-charge providing a full charge in 30 minutes or a 220-volt Level 2 charge which takes 3 to 8 hours. EV owners will be offered either a monthly subscription or a per-use pricing to pay for the recharge.
Industry experts view the development and expansion of battery powered vehicles to be happening in three phases. Phase 1 took place in the first decade of this century and dealt with getting electrification into the vehicle. Phase 2 will be from now to about 2020 and mostly deal with the installation and expansion of charging station infrastructure and the electricity grid. Vehicle development will continue. In Phase 3 we can expect the refinement of EVs with battery technology, the use or not of range extender engines and driving range needs being better addressed.
Urban living is increasingly popular at two ends of the demographic spectrum. The young Gen-Y Millenials and the retiring Baby-boomers will have a wide array of very suitable, eco-friendly and space efficient cars to choose from.
© Larry Nutson