Caravan of Electric Cars Charges Around San Diego County; New Chargers Stretch Range of Electric Vehicles
10 July 1997
Caravan of Electric Cars Charges Around San Diego County; New Chargers Stretch Range of Electric Vehicles
SAN DIEGO, July l0 -- A caravan of a dozen electric vehicles
will "charge around San Diego" County today, testing a host of new chargers
installed by prominent businesses and institutions.
Costco Cos., ScrippsHealth, Mission Valley Center and the Wild Animal Park
have installed chargers at prime parking locations by their facilities within
the last two months. The Hyatt Regency La Jolla will also be installing
chargers soon. The chargers have been underwritten by the San Diego Air
Pollution Control District and Enova Corporation and installed by Edison EV.
"San Diego is now the largest metropolitan area in the nation to be
Electric Vehicle ready," said County Supervisor Ron Roberts. "By establishing
these chargers throughout the county, we have made a critical first step
towards getting people out of their fuel burning cars and into electric
vehicles. I commend the businesses who have sponsored these chargers and hope
this becomes a trend for businesses throughout the region and the nation."
The caravan will travel approximately 90 miles, with stops at new chargers
to commemorate their opening. Officials said that the chargers are placed
around the county at convenient sites.
"Electric vehicles have a limited range between 70-120 miles on a charge
-- we acknowledge that," said Ed Fitzgerald, vice president of Costco. "But
these chargers give our customers unlimited range. They can charge here while
shopping and keep driving all day long."
The chargers are usually installed in prime locations. At Mission Valley
Center, the EV chargers are the two sites closest to the movie theaters, said
Scot Turcotte, general manager of the center. "Mission Valley Center
appreciates people who are environmentally aware and we want to recognize them
by providing the best parking places we can."
For ScrippsHealth, the chargers represent their continuing efforts to
improve the health of the San Diego community, "I understand that motor
vehicles are responsible for about two-thirds of the air pollutants in San
Diego, which is among the 1O smoggiest cities in the country," said Sister
Mary Jo Anderson, senior vice president of hospital operations for
ScrippsHealth. "These chargers are a tangible sign that we care about the
health of our community."
Enova Corporation, parent company of San Diego Gas & Electric, contributed
$50,000 to spur charger installation, said Howard Levin, SDG&E Energy Products
manager. "But the money is just part of the story," Levin added. "Enova and
SDG&E are working to become EV-ready by providing incentive rates and customer
service for EV drivers."
"Creating a network of public charging stations for electric vehicles is a
great challenge requiring the type of cooperative effort you see here today,"
said Edison EV President Diane 0. Wittenberg. "We are pleased that our
alliance with San Diego Gas & Electric has facilitated the rapid introduction
of so many public charging stations, and commend the Air Pollution Control
District, Enova and the site hosts for their leadership in creating an
environmentally sound transportation infrastructure for the 21st Century."
Enova Corporation is a leading energy management company
providing electricity, gas, and value-added services in the United States and
Mexico. Enova is the parent company of San Diego Gas and Electric Company
(SDG&E) and six other U. S.-based subsidiaries -- Enova Energy, Enova
International, Enova Technologies, Enova Financial, Califia and Pacific
Diversified Capital.
Edison EV, the nation's largest provider of electric vehicle charging
equipment and installation, is one of six Edison International companies.
TIMELINE AND LOCATIONS FOR EV CHARGER CARAVAN ON JULY 10, 1997
6:00am Location: Mercy Hospital, 4077 Fifth Avenue, Hillcrest in San
Diego Participants gather with cars at hospital entrance.
Coffee and doughnuts will be served, and a balloon arch will be
in place as a starting line for the "Charging Around San Diego"
EV drive.
6:30am Drive from Mercy to Mission Valley Center at 1604 Camino Del Rio
North, Mission Valley in San Diego
6:40am Arrive at Mission Valley Center for a brief stop of about 15-20
minutes. Leave about 7 a.m.
7:00am The caravan leaves Mission Valley Center to drive to Costco --
La Mesa at 9125 Fletcher Parkway, La Mesa.
7:15am Arrive at Costco, where there will be a ribbon-cutting,
speeches, police escort.
7:45am Leave Costco La Mesa for Costco Carmel Mt. Ranch at 12350 Carmel
Mt. Road, San Diego.
8:15am Arrive at Costco Carmel Mt. for a ribbon-cutting, speeches, etc.
8:45am Leave Costco Carmel Mt. for Costco - San Marcos.
9:10am Arrive at Costco - San Marcos for ribbon-cutting
9:40am Leave Costco - San Marcos for Saturn at West 78
10:10am Arrive at Saturn of West 78, 2205 Vista Way, Oceanside, for tour
and refreshments
10:45am Leave Saturn for Scripps Memorial Hospital, 354 Santa Fe Drive,
Encinitas.
11:00am Arrive at Scripps Memorial in Encinitas
11:10am Leave Scripps Encinitas
11:30am Arrive at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, 9888 Genesee
Ave., La Jolla
4-5:30pm Reception at Scripps Memorial in La Jolla very visual - cars,
customized semi-trailer with simulated rides.
SOURCE San Diego Gas & Electric