First Name | Rick |
---|---|
Last Name | Durst |
Email Address | k1ykz7@gmail.com |
Affiliation | Oregon Electric Vehicle Association |
Subject | Please keep the Electric Car for consumers |
Comment | Dear Chairperson Nichols, Although I live in Oregon, I grew up in California and my parents live in Walnut Creek. California has the unique position to decide the options for consumers. This not only is a step for California, but for the whole nation in it's move to cut emmissions. Please do not bend to the automanufacturers pressure. Do not reduce the ZEVs required of automakers. Electric cars can be made as auto manufacturers have proven. 1998-2000 saw automakers producing electric cars and trucks, but when CARB changed the mandate back then, the manufacturers stopped. GM has said stopping the production of the EV1 was one of their worst mistakes. The margin on sales of a FORD F-350 is much higher than the margin on a Ford Escort, so which vehicle do you think will be promoted. In 1982 I bought a Ford EXP. It got 35 mpg. In 2007, I looked to find an affordable car that got 35 MPG and couldn't find one. What happened in 25 years???? I have a 1985 Ford Escort that was converted to Electric. It gets 35-40 Miles per charge, and meets almost all of my driving needs. But the car is over 20 years old. I can't get weatherstripping to seal the doors and some parts are hard to come by. But, I charge it up by purchasing renewable energy, have no tune-ups or oil changes, no exhaust system, no water pump or belts to break, no radiator to overheat. It is much more environmentally friendly than any new car on the market today. The US Bureau of Transportation shows that a typical round trip commute is: 29% of Americans- less than 10 miles a day. 51% of Americans- less than 20 miles a day. 68% of Americans- less than 30 miles a day. 78% are less than 40 miles a day. If they could charge at work, 90% of Americans could use my converted ford Escort to commute to work if they could charge it at work. My Ford Escort was converted in California when it was near the end of it's life at 75,000 miles. It has now gone over 155,000 miles with more than half on batteries. Please don't listen to the nay-sayers. Electric cars are a viable technology now. But it is going to take mass production, like Henry Ford did for the Model-T, to get them into the hands of the consumer at an affordable price. Please: Don't change the requirement for ZEVs that automakers had promised for 2012-2014. If you want to promote plug-in hybrids, set that as an additional requirement. But the plug in hybrid, still pollutes, needs emission controls, has hundreds of moving engine parts, requires specialized maintenance and parts, needs emmisions testing, oil changes....etc....... The country is looking to California to make a difference Please provide consumers an affordable choice to buy Zero-Emission Vehicles (ZEVs)by keeping the current standards in place. |
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Date and Time Comment Was Submitted | 2008-03-18 07:16:11 |
If you have any questions or comments please contact Clerk of the Board at (916) 322-5594.