Smith Electric Vehicles to open plant in Windy City
Smith
Electric Vehicles announced this past Wednesday that Smith will open an
electric vehicle manufacturing facility in Chicago, creating hundreds
of direct and indirect jobs and boosting the already rapidly growing
battery and electric vehicle sector in the City. Smith’s decision to
locate a facility in Chicago is influenced by the Mayor’s innovative
voucher system created to accelerate the conversion from diesel to
zero-emission, all electric commercial vehicles, the large number of
fleets interested in vehicle electrification, and the development
incentives made available to Smith.
“I’m
proud to welcome another growing company with a great mission to
Chicago. Soon hundreds of Chicagoans will be able to put their skills to
use providing businesses worldwide with high-quality, zero-emission,
American-made vehicles,” said Mayor Emanuel. “Smith Electric Vehicles is
an innovative company in a forward-looking, essential industry that is a
central part of Chicago’s economic future.”
Smith
is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of all-electric commercial
vehicles, which are zero-emission and less expensive to own and operate
when compared with traditional diesel trucks. The company produces
trucks for multiple industries, including food & beverage, utility,
telecommunications, retail, grocery, parcel and postal delivery, school
transportation, military and government. Smith’s customers include many
of the world’s largest fleet operators, including PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay
division, FedEx, Staples, TNT, Sainsbury’s, Coca-Cola, DHL, and the U.S.
Military.
Chicago
will be Smith’s third location in the United States, joining their
headquarters in Kansas City, Mo., and a manufacturing facility in New
York City.
Additionally,
the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) announced a
comprehensive, $15 million incentive program that will encourage
companies and individuals to modernize their fleets and convert to
electric vehicles. The first of its kind in the US, this plan rewards
fleets on an increasing scale for replacing their most diesel-consuming
vehicles. The program’s initial $15M is funded by resources from the
federal CongestionMitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) program and will provide
vouchers to assist companies in reducing the costs of converting their
vehicles to electric. The City is also considering additional incentives
such as preferential loading zones and decreased registration costs to
complement the voucher program. Fleets can stack the State of Illinois’
Alternative Fuel Vehicle and EV Charging Station Rebates on top of the
City’s incentive. Through similar federally funded incentive programs,
the City has helped deploy 404 cleaner vehicles, including 159
compressed natural gas (CNG) livery/taxi vehicles and 223 alternative
fuel stations, including 17 CNG and 202 electric vehicle charging
stations – the densest network of any major city. These vehicles and
stations have displaced 200,000 barrels of oil and reduced greenhouse
gas emissions by 2,850 tons.
“A
mass urban deployment of commercial electric vehicles is an important
next step in catalyzing mainstream adoption,” said Smith CEO Bryan
Hansel. “Chicago’s location, commitment to adoption in municipal fleets,
concentration of commercial vehicles, talented workforce and importance
to the global business community make it a perfect choice to grow our
company and this industry. The leadership being shown with the mayor’s
CDOT voucher program is a prime example of how Chicago is creating the
template for a new energy city.”
In
addition to the announcement of the manufacturing facility, Smith
provided an update today on two of its global fleet customers. FedEx
Express has initiated the deployment of 100 Smith vehicles in the U.S.,
adding to the electric vehicles already in service throughout the
company’s global fleet.
“FedEx
continually works toward goals to increase fuel efficiency and reduce
emissions of its global vehicle fleet in big and small ways,” said
Dennis Beal, Vice President of Global Vehicles at FedEx Express.
“Electric vehicles are often conducive to operate on routes in urban
environments like Chicago, where FedEx introduced the first
purpose-built all-electric parcel delivery trucks in the United States
in 2010.”
Coca-Cola’s
pilot deployment of Smith Electric Vehicles has been successful. The
Company plans to deploy additional electric vehicles in 2013.
“These
electric vehicles meet our delivery needs while significantly reducing
direct greenhouse gas emissions,” commented Steven Saltzgiver, director
of fleet operations, Coca-Cola Refreshments. “Mayor Emanuel’s incentive
program is evidence of his commitment to building a more sustainable
Chicago. We are proud to support this effort by deploying electric
vehicles in Chicago as part of Coca-Cola’s expanding alternative fuel
vehicle fleet.”
Smith
Electric Vehicles is currently considering locations for its
manufacturing facility in conjunction with City officials. The company
expects to begin hiring efforts immediately and announce this new
location when the incentive and development packages tied to the site
are complete.
Fiat
has unveiled an all-new electric vehicle this week called the 2013 Fiat
500e. This is first electric vehicle in the Fiat Cinquecento line and
should deliver an estimated 116 MPGe fuel rating in the city. Fiat also
promises that the little electric car will get 100 MPGe on the highway.
The
estimated driving range for the 500e is 80 miles on a full charge
(although Chrysler points out that city driving could see that range
extended past 100 miles). The vehicle has a new battery-electric
powertrain producing 111 hp and the battery packs are able to recharge
in under four hours when combined with the Level 2 onboard charging
module.
Fight climate change like a German
Renewable Energy World
Renewable Energy World
The
in-progress Doha Climate Change Conference presents the perfect
opportunity to read Global Cooling: Strategies for Climate Protection by
Hans-Josef Fell. Green parliamentarian Fell is one of the fathers of
Germany’s Renewable Energy Law, the seminal legislation guiding the
country's Energiewende.
Fell refutes the tired
line that saving the planet’s climate requires sacrifice, vast riches,
and endless red tape. Rather than focusing on costs, he points out the
gains of proactive policies overhauling our economies within clean
energy frameworks.
In a nutshell, there’s
serious money to be made (and saved) in the greening of our societies,
as well as other perks like energy security, reduced energy imports, job
creation, poverty reduction, the generation of substantial tax revenue –
not to mention quotidian environmental protection.
Links
Arctic sea ice larger than US melted this year Associated Press
Keep the net beyond the autocrats’ reach Financial Times (furzy mouse)
IMF discovers Chinese over-investment Macrobusiness
Why one of China’s richest men is squaring off against Obama in court Christian Science Monitor
UK banks face up to £50bn shortfall Financial Times
Egypt’s draft constitution approved Guardian
Why rich guys want to raise the retirement age Washington Post
Republicans Reject Cliff Offer From Obama Wall Street Journal
Drones: Despite Problems, A Push to Expand Domestic Use San Francisco Chronicle
The Insourcing Boom The Atlantic
Kansas City Fed: Manufacturing Activity Declines Again in November 2012 Global Economic Intersection
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