EV Digest 2421
Topics covered in this issue include:
1) EVLN(JOB: electricwheelsintl.com Inside Sales Reps)
by Bruce EVangel Parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
2) EVLN(Solectria's AM Contract for HMMWV APDS)
by Bruce EVangel Parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
3) EVLN(SCE's RAV4 EVs Will Reach 100,000 Miles in 03)
by Bruce EVangel Parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
4) EVLN(Ford Escape hybrid)
by Bruce EVangel Parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
5) EVLN(Director fires assistant for private EV trips)-long
by Bruce EVangel Parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
6) EVLN(EVs have fumes everyone can see)
by Bruce EVangel Parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
7) EVLN(WA State sees Sparrow as car)
by Bruce EVangel Parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
8) EVLN($29k wheelchair goes where none has gone before)-long
by Bruce EVangel Parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
9) EVLN(PALM DESERT golf cart float gives you a kick)
by Bruce EVangel Parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
--- Begin Message ---
EVLN(JOB: electricwheelsintl.com Inside Sales Reps)
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
US-CA-Silicon Valley/San Jose-Inside Sales Rep
Electric Wheels International (EWI) in southeast San Jose,
CA seeks highly motivated individuals for our inside sales
team.
Who We Are:
EWI is a leading national distributor, with exclusive
brands, selling electric bicycles and scooters to retailers
across the nation. We offer retailers a single source for
quality brands that compliment one another, supported by
service that strives to be the best in the industry. Current
sales channels include sporting goods, bicycle, Internet and
electric vehicle retailers. For more company information,
please visit http:// www.electricwheelsintl.com.
Job Description:
Inside Sales Reps will drive channel sales in assigned
territory and provide friendly, conscientious dealer
service.
Responsibilities:
- Understand, discuss and differentiate our product line
- Recruit and sign new dealers with cold-calling
- Increase sales with existing retailers
- Provide great communication and service to build solid
relationships
- Travel occasionally to visit major accounts.
Desired Skills & Experience:
- One year’s sales experience
- Bicycle/sporting goods sales or bike mechanic experience
is a strong plus
- Ability to write high quality business correspondence
- Marketing or PR expertise may soon lead to expanded
responsibilities.
This is an entry-level career opportunity in a company that
promotes from within. Base pay of $26,000 to $34,000 plus
commission and benefits. Earnings of $48,000+ upon achieving
quota.
Additional Information
Position Type: Full Time, Employee
Contact Information
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Electric Wheels International
San Jose CA
Fax: 408 270 3822
===
http://www.electricwheelsintl.com./careers.htm
Sales Representatives.
EWI is hiring Inside Sales Representatives to provide
friendly and conscientious dealer service and support.
Mechanical or electrical expertise is a plus. A strong
technical knowledge of bicycles or other wheel goods is
strongly preferred. One year’s sales experience strongly
preferred. Experience in MS Office applications required.
Some travel possible. If you are service oriented,
conscientious and have good follow-up skills, EWI wants to
talk to you.
Warehouse and Service Personnel.
EWI is hiring conscientious and career-oriented persons for
these entry-level positions. Participating in a young and
growing company, you will quickly gain the opportunity to
learn and perform many functions, including: receiving,
shipping, inventory control, battery maintenance and product
service. Interests in wheel goods, computers and electronics
are pluses. Opportunities for advancement include Inside
Sales and Technical Support. If you are interested in
personal and professional growth, EWI wants to talk to you.
Please send your resume, including salary requirements, to:
Fax: 1.408.270.3822.
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
-
=====
' ____
~/__|o\__
'@----- @'---(=
. http://geocities.com/brucedp/
. EV List Editor & RE newswires
. (originator of the EV ascci art above)
=====
__________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Web Hosting - Let the expert host your site
http://webhosting.yahoo.com
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
EVLN(Solectria's AM Contract for HMMWV APDS)
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
-
Date:Thu, 07 Nov 2002 14:53:13 -0500
From:"Karl Thidemann" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject:Solectria Press Release - November 7, 2002
NEWS RELEASE For Immediate Release: November 7, 2002
Superior Onboard Power For Enhanced Performance
Solectria Awarded AM General Contract for Mobile Military
Power System
WOBURN, Mass. - Solectria Corporation today announced that
it has been awarded a contract by AM General Corporation of
South Bend, Indiana to develop four second-generation
Auxiliary Power Distribution Systems (APDS). The APDS, to
be mounted on hybrid electric High Mobility Multipurpose
Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWV) produced by AM General, will
convert power from the vehicle drive system into
high-quality, reliable, 120VAC and 208VAC for powering
field-based communications and weapons systems.
"We are pleased to be working with AM General to develop the
second-generation APDS," said Mark Federle, business unit
manager of Solectria's Distributed Generation group. "There
is a clear need for quality power to drive these systems in
the field, and to be able to generate that power directly
from a hybrid electric HMMWV makes eminent sense," said
Federle.
This contract is a follow-on to the initial APDS development
phase already completed for AM General by Solectria. The
first-generation APDS units designed and produced by
Solectria are now being tested by the US military at various
sites throughout the country. The second generation APDS
units, redesigned to eliminate the need for a transformer,
provide superior quality power at a greatly reduced weight
and in a much smaller package. Funding for development of
the APDS is being provided by the Program Executive Officer
for Combat Support and Combat Service Support (PEO CS&CSS).
AM General Corporation is a world-leader in the design,
engineering, production and technical and parts support of
military and special purpose vehicles.
Solectria Corporation is a world leader in the development
and manufacturing of a wide range of components for
electric, hybrid, and fuel cell vehicles, and for the
distributed generation of electric power. Solectria also
provides comprehensive engineering services for electric
drivetrain design and integration. Over 2000 vehicles
worldwide -- including cars, trucks, buses, and industrial
machines -- rely on Solectria's proprietary drive system
technology. Solectria's Diaphorm division offers patented
and patent-pending manufacturing processes that provide
immediate benefits for both the thermoplastic and the
thermoset composites marketplace.
###
For more information on Solectria Corporation, visit
http://www.solectria.com For more information on AM General
Corporation, visit http://www.amgeneralcorp.com
Media contact: Karl Thidemann, Solectria Corporation, tel
781-932-9009, email [EMAIL PROTECTED]
-
=====
' ____
~/__|o\__
'@----- @'---(=
. http://geocities.com/brucedp/
. EV List Editor & RE newswires
. (originator of the EV ascci art above)
=====
__________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Web Hosting - Let the expert host your site
http://webhosting.yahoo.com
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
EVLN(SCE's RAV4 EVs Will Reach 100,000 Miles in 03)
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
Press Release Source: Southern California Edison
SCE Electric Vehicle Reaches 100,000-Mile Milestone
Thursday November 7, 5:22 pm ET
Utility's EV Fleet Is First Anywhere to Log 8.5 Million
Miles
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- The odometer on one of
Southern California Edison's (SCE) electric vehicles (EVs)
rolled over to 100,000 miles today -- the farthest any
plug-in EV anywhere has traveled in real-world driving
applications.
Coincidentally, the EV milestone was reached as the
Coalition for Clean Air held a celebration at Union Station
marking "30 years of clean-air progress."
SCE and Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., tracked the
performance and reliability of five RAV-4 EVs until they
each reached the 100,000-mile mark using their original
nickel-metal-hydride battery packs. Two of the five vehicles
are expected to achieve that milestone in early 2003.
SCE's 275 EVs are used primarily by the utility's meter
readers, service managers, field representatives, service
planners and mail handlers, and for security patrols and
carpools. In 12-plus years of operation, SCE's fleet of EVs
has logged nearly 8.5 million miles, eliminating more than
1,000 tons of air pollutants, preventing the emission of
4,500 tons of tailpipe carbon dioxide emissions, avoiding
the need for 1,700 oil changes, saving 421,500 gallons of
gasoline, and reducing fuel costs by nearly $250,000.
In traveling the equivalent of driving from Los Angeles to
New York City 34 times, the first car in SCE's fleet of EVs
to reach 100,000 miles did so without emitting a single
tailpipe pollutant or using a single quart of oil.
"The performance of these zero-emission EVs demonstrates,
once again, that electro-drive technology can play an
important role in California's fleet and consumer
transportation mix, and can serve as a key tool in
addressing the state's still-serious air quality problems,"
said Bill West, a manager in SCE's electric transportation
division.
"There's no question that in many cases, electro-drive
technology does the same job as internal-combustion
engines," West added. "And due to lower fuel and maintenance
costs, it does the job more economically while improving air
quality and energy security."
SCE and Toyota began the 100,000-mile RAV-4 EV project in
February 2000 to obtain data on costs, maintenance, battery
life, charging issues and other factors with EVs that are
used continually long-term. Employees with long commutes
drive the vehicles daily to and from work -- either SCE's
headquarters in Rosemead, Calif., or its state-of-the-art EV
Technical Center in Pomona, Calif. The test data also showed
that EVs with advanced batteries are cost-effective to
operate and have an equal lifecycle of comparable internal
combustion engine vehicles.
Not only have the EVs met the employees' driving needs, they
have proven reliable, with just minimal routine maintenance
required, and have demonstrated the long-term durability of
the battery packs, motors, controllers and other components.
Given the successful operation of these EVs to date, SCE
plans to continue using them even after they roll past
100,000 miles.
To support the 100,000-mile project, Toyota provides
technical assistance and any parts needed for the vehicles.
"Toyota commends SCE for their commitment to clean air
solutions. As our largest RAV-4 EV customer, we also value
our partnership in the interest of promoting electric drive
technologies," said Ron Broughman, corporate fleet manager
for Toyota.
Besides operating its EV fleet, which also enables SCE to
meet federal alternative-fuel vehicle requirements for
utilities, SCE's electro-drive program analyzes the
potential electric system impacts of various electro-drive
technologies, and how to most effectively mitigate those
impacts.
More than 300,000 electro-drive products -- mainly
forklifts, street sweepers, scrubbers and golf carts --
already operate in California. As neighborhood EVs, electric
airport ground support equipment, hybrid vehicles and other
devices and appliances are added to the electro-drive mix,
that number will skyrocket in coming years.
"SCE will continue to help its customers deploy and safely
and efficiently operate and charge these electricity-fueled
clean alternatives to internal-combustion engine vehicles,"
said West.
An Edison International company, Southern California Edison
is one of the nation's largest electric utilities, serving a
population of more than 12 million via 4.3 million customer
accounts in a 50,000-square-mile service area within
central, coastal and Southern California. For more
information on the California electricity market, see
www.sce.com .
Source: Southern California Edison Press Release
-
=====
' ____
~/__|o\__
'@----- @'---(=
. http://geocities.com/brucedp/
. EV List Editor & RE newswires
. (originator of the EV ascci art above)
=====
__________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Web Hosting - Let the expert host your site
http://webhosting.yahoo.com
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
EVLN(Ford Escape hybrid)
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
Source: Pacific Insight Electronics Corp.
Alcoa Fujikura and Pacific Insight Electronics form alliance
Thursday November 7, 12:47 pm ET
NELSON, BC, Nov. 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - Pacific Insight
Electronics Corp. ("the Company") wishes to announce the
signing of an exclusive supply and product development
agreement with AFL Automotive LP ("AFL") targeting the Class
4 - 8 Heavy Truck & Bus markets.
The agreement will enable the Company to capture more
electrical content in the Heavy Truck and Bus markets.
Pacific Insight's CEO, Brad Smithson states, "We now have a
network to gain more exposure to the key players in the
industry. As a result of this relationship with AFL, we will
be able to offer true full service capabilities, directly
impacting our bottom line."
AFL is a global industry leader and full-service supplier of
complete electrical distribution systems and integrated
material solutions, delivering a complete range of expert
capabilities in design, engineering, testing, manufacturing
and logistics. AFL is a joint venture company and is owned
by Alcoa (51%) and Fujikura Ltd. of Japan (49%).
PACIFIC INSIGHT ELECTRONICS AWARDED CONTRACT FOR FORD'S
HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLE PROGRAM
Pacific Insight Electronics Corp. announced that it has won
a supply contract with Ford's new Escape - Hybrid Electric
Vehicle (HEV) program.
The Company will design and manufacture a gateway module
that will be utilised to convert MS- CAN data messages from
the instrument cluster to ACP messages for the vehicle's
navigational system. These messages will be used to display
the vehicle's energy flow feature
The hybrid-electric powered Ford Escape is being designed to
be the cleanest, most fuel-efficient sport utility on the
planet when it debuts in 2003. Ford is the first auto-maker
to announce production plans for a hybrid- electric powered
sport utility vehicle. The Ford Escape HEV will feature an
electric drive train to augment its fuel-efficient
four-cylinder gasoline engine. With regenerative braking and
nearly instantaneous start-stop capability, the Escape HEV
will be especially fuel efficient in city traffic,
delivering about 40 mpg in urban driving.
The Company designs and manufactures world-class electronics
and assemblies for the Automotive, Heavy Truck and Marine
industries. The Company has four business divisions,
Original Equipment, After-market, Wire & Cable and Gauge &
Instrumentation. The Company is publicly traded under the
symbol "PIH" on the TSX Exchange. For additional Corporate
Information, please visit our web site at:
www.pacificinsight.com
On behalf of the Board of Directors, PACIFIC INSIGHT
ELECTRONICS CORP., "Bradley D. Smithson" President/CEO
CONTACT: Stuart Ross, 1-800-995-1155,
[EMAIL PROTECTED], www.pacificinsight.com Source:
Pacific Insight Electronics Corp.
-
=====
' ____
~/__|o\__
'@----- @'---(=
. http://geocities.com/brucedp/
. EV List Editor & RE newswires
. (originator of the EV ascci art above)
=====
__________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Web Hosting - Let the expert host your site
http://webhosting.yahoo.com
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
EVLN(Director fires assistant for private EV trips)-long
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://iccoventry.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100localnews/page.cfm?objectid=12350417&method=full&siteid=50003
Council boss denies bad faith claim Nov 9 2002
By Staff Reporter, Coventry Evening Telegraph
Strategic director of city development John McGuigan has
denied he acted in bad faith when he fired one of his three
assistant directors for using an electric car for private
trips.
He also denied pressurising other staff working under him
when they prepared statements for James Mullan's appeal
against dismissal to Coventry city council or for his
industrial tribunal case.
Mr Mullan, who now lives in Toronto, Canada, is claiming
wrongful dismissal from his £50,000-plus post in 1999. He
admits using the car for several private trips but claims he
thought he was allowed to.
The tribunal heard he was suspended on return from holiday
in June over use of the electric car, one of a pool being
tested by the council under an EU-funded project, Zeus.
That was after a tightening of procedures banning staff from
using council assets for private use in March1999 in the
wakeof the investigation into irregularities in Coventry
Contract Services.
Tribunal chairman Alan Mc-Carry yesterday asked Mr McGuigan
if the incidents with the car were a convenient excuse to
get rid of Mr Mullan.
M McGuigan replied: "I totally refute that ....... whilst
the professional working relationship was getting a bit
strained, I was wanting Jimmy Mullan to perform."
He was asked again by Mr McCarry if it wasn't a way of
avoiding a messy wrangle over Mr Mullan's competence and he
replied: "That's not the case."
Earlier, Mr McGuigan told the tribunal he had extended Mr
Mullan's probationary period in the job because of
misgivings about progress on an economic regeneration action
plan.
He said their relationship was cordial and initially he had
even changed the insurance on his own wife's car to allow Mr
Mullan to drive it while they were on holiday and had also
allowed him use of their house.
Mr Mullan admitted to the tribunal Mr McGuigan was unhappy
with progress on the action plan. Healso told themhe
discovered Mr McGuigan had put a note on his personal file
which he objected to.
He said he spoke to Mr McGuigan about that the day before he
went on holiday, warning he would reply on his return. On
his return, he was suspended at 8am over the electric car.
The man in charge of the Zeus project in Coventry, Myles
Mackie, told the tribunal he remembers telling Mr Mullan,
who was his boss, about new forms to be filled in for using
the electric car following the Lessons to be Learnt report
into the CCS debacle.
He said he told Mr Mullan private use was not allowed. Under
questioning Mr Mackie said until spring 1999 no formal
checks had been made and there was a "grey area".
He admitted he did not always fill the forms in properly
when he used the cars, although he never used them for
private business.
The tribunal continues. © owned by or licensed to Trinity
Mirror Plc 2002
===
http://iccoventry.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100localnews/page.cfm?objectid=12344948&method=full&siteid=50003
City news Sacked for electric car trips
Nov 7 2002 By Fiona Scott
A former assistant director of economic regeneration in
Coventry told a tribunal today how he was astonished to be
sacked for using a council electric car for personal trips.
James Mullan, who now lives in Toronto, Canada, and runs an
export business, is claiming wrongful dismissal from the
post which he held at the city council for just under one
year.
He told an industrial tribunal at Birmingham he arrived for
work after a week’sholiday in 1999 to be told by city
development director John McGuigan that he was suspended
He was later sacked for gross misconduct.
Mr Mullan said he thought he was allowed to use the car for
personal trips after being told at a dinner by Mr McGuigan
that he would get the use of one of a pool of electric cars
being tested by the local authority under a European Union
project.
Mr Mullan said: “At no time then or later did he in any way,
shape or form restrict my use of these vehicles to business
purposes alone.”
He said he was sure Mr McGuigan knew he used it personally.
Once, Mr Mullan had jokingly told Mr McGuigan at a dinner
that he was going to buy his wife a map-reading course
because they had got lost in Coventry.
Another time, Mr Mullan took the car to Desford in
Leicestershire for his niece’s birthday party where it
failed to re-charge and had to be towed back to Coventry to
the amusement of colleagues.
He said he was sure Mr McGuigan knew of the “corridor talk”
and failed to warn him he should not be using the car and
was putting his job at risk.
Mr Mullan said he had a disagreement with Mr McGuigan over
an appointment to his team.
Mr Mullan was suspended after using the car to visit
Warwick, Stratford, Solihull and Leamington during a week’s
holiday. He said he had visited the towns’ centres and
industrial parks to familiarise himself with the areas.
The hearing continues.
-
=====
' ____
~/__|o\__
'@----- @'---(=
. http://geocities.com/brucedp/
. EV List Editor & RE newswires
. (originator of the EV ascci art above)
=====
__________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Web Hosting - Let the expert host your site
http://webhosting.yahoo.com
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
EVLN(EVs have fumes everyone can see)
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://www.pensacolanewsjournal.com/news/111002/Business/ST003.shtml
PUBLISHED SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2002
Search for alternative-fuel cars comes at a critical time
Charlotte Crane
News Journal Business Editor Emeritus
Crane's column, covering the Northwest Florida business and
economic scene, runs Sundays. Phone: 850-435-8533; fax:
435-8633;
A reader was right recently to point out that electric cars
have fumes, too. Emissions come from the electric-generating
plant producing the auto`s plug- in power.
But his accuracy stopped there. When it comes to spewing
nitrous oxide stew, motor vehicles are top dogs. Regulators
say the electric vehicle is friendlier to the environment
than the gas-burner, even though coal-fired power plants
also contribute to smog. Powering a car by electricity
reduces greenhouse gas emissions per mile traveled by about
50 percent.
Part of the problem in finger- pointing in our rising energy
dilemma is that every auto owner drives around with a
personal tailpipe - but it`s behind him. But the utility
company`s smokestacks are high in the sky for everyone to
see.
Background: DaimlerChrysler`s Global Electric MotorCar (GEM)
recently went on sale in Pensacola.
Advantages: No noise, no emissions and cheap to keep.
Disadvantages: It needs recharging about every 35 miles,
taking six hours, and top speed is around 25. It`s not a
highway drive, but it is a niche vehicle, popular for
campuses, work sites, and increasingly for posh
neighborhoods - where clean and quiet is chic.
Comparison of gasoline-vs.-electric for Florida drivers
isn`t easy. The GEM car is the only all-electric,
limited-roadway car available locally. Florida doesn`t have
tax incentives or mandates to spur EV sales, as do
California and New York. But highway hybrids, combination
gasoline and electric- powered, are available.
Regulators and manufacturers are pushing development of
alternative- fuel cars consuming less gasoline and spewing
less gas. Critical issues considering deterioration of U.S.
urban air and growing dependence on foreign oil. The search
for alternatives also comes at a critical time, as U.S.
consumers increasingly embrace gas-guzzlers.
Piqued by the challenge over electric (i.e., coal) vs.
gasoline emissions, I muddled through data from the
Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy,
finding a couple of meaningful comparisons. Closest
comparable is for the Toyota RAV4 sport utility vehicle,
available in electric and gasoline models (but electric are
not sold here):
Gasoline model: miles per gallon, 26; annual fuel cost (for
15,000 miles), $894, at $1.55 per gallon; greenhouse gas
emissions, 7.4 tons, (compares to 15.3, worst among all
cars, and 3.1, the best).
Electric model: miles per gallon, 112 (miles traveled using
electricity equivalent to energy in a gallon of gasoline);
annual fuel cost, $362 (at 8 cents per kilowatt hour; Gulf
Power charges 7 cents); greenhouse gas emissions, 3.8 tons
(amount emitted from the power plant to charge the car for
15,000 miles, at average U.S. power plant efficiency).
Comparing hybrid and gasoline models is more relevant
locally. Check the 2003 Honda Civic:
Hybrid: miles per gallon, 48; annual fuel cost, $484;
greenhouse gas emissions, 4 tons.
Gasoline: miles per gallon, 33; annual fuel cost, $705;
greenhouse gas emissions, 5.8 tons. Notes American Petroleum
Institute: Gasoline prices were about 24 cents a gallon
higher last week than a year ago.
Business editor emeritus Charlotte Crane can be reached at
477-1542, or [EMAIL PROTECTED]
-
=====
' ____
~/__|o\__
'@----- @'---(=
. http://geocities.com/brucedp/
. EV List Editor & RE newswires
. (originator of the EV ascci art above)
=====
__________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Web Hosting - Let the expert host your site
http://webhosting.yahoo.com
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
EVLN(WA State sees Sparrow as car)
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/transportation/95031_electric11.shtml
Monday, November 11, 2002
State has its eye on Sparrow, is seeing a car
Manufacturer calls lightweight three-wheeled electric
vehicle a motorcycle
By LARRY LANGE SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER
The Sparrow, the electric vehicle so small it's being
licensed as a motorcycle, is beginning to look more like a
car to state officials.
The little vehicle, a three-wheel, electrically powered rig
with room for one, befuddled state license officials when it
began showing up on Washington's roads. It looks like a tiny
car, with an enclosed body, heater-defroster, wraparound
windshield and power windows. But its manufacturer, Corbin
Motors of Hollister, Calif., calls it a motorcycle because
it meets the federal definition of a motorcycle: up to three
wheels and weighing less than 1,500 pounds.
State inspectors aren't ready to agree. Because it has a
steering wheel and doesn't place the driver astride the
motor or drive mechanism, it doesn't fit the state's
definition of a motorcycle.
The recommendation to Washington State Patrol Chief Ron
Serpas will be that the little vehicle "could be classified
as a (car) with some alterations," said Christine Fox, the
patrol's equipment standards specialist.
Fox said that although the vehicle isn't legally a
motorcycle under state law, it has only one headlight. It
also lacks side-marker lights, equipment normally required
of cars. This could make the vehicle difficult to see in the
dark, she said.
"If this was behind me, what would I be thinking?" Fox
said.
Equipping it with more lights might make it qualify as a
car, she said, and she plans to send a recommendation to
that effect up the patrol's chain of command. She could not
say when a final decision will be made.
That could settle the question, or it could complicate
matters for the manufacturer, which has had plenty of
troubles with the vehicle already. It had to be altered,
with softer suspension and bigger tires, to counteract its
tendency to roll in hard turns. Other problems have prompted
recalls of 215 vehicles. Altogether, 285 were produced and
dealers, including one in Kirkland, are still taking orders
for the 70 incomplete vehicles still at the factory.
Production has been temporarily halted, but Corbin predicts
it will resume by next spring. Additional financing is
expected to help the company initiate production of a new
single-seat, gasoline-powered roadster early next year and
to bring out an updated version of the Sparrow later in the
year.
Corbin's Web site still says the vehicle "registers, insures
and parks as a motorcycle." Corbin Chief Executive Officer
Tom Corbin said he's not planning to alter that claim until
"we know where (state officials) are heading" with the
license classification.
"I guess for Washington, if we had to, we could wire the car
differently," he said, but cost would be a factor for the
Sparrow and the company's new Merlin roadster, which will
have four headlights but no running lights.
Transforming them into legally designated cars will depend
on how much it costs to modify them, Corbin said. If the
cost is too high, Corbin said, he may have to simply give up
marketing it here.
"We'll say good in 49 states (but not Washington)," he said.
If that happens, Kirkland dealer Alastair Dodwell said he'll
have to rethink his business plan.
"I'd say, 'Screw Washington, I'm moving out.' "
P-I reporter Larry Lange can be reached at 206-448-8313 or
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
-
=====
' ____
~/__|o\__
'@----- @'---(=
. http://geocities.com/brucedp/
. EV List Editor & RE newswires
. (originator of the EV ascci art above)
=====
__________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Web Hosting - Let the expert host your site
http://webhosting.yahoo.com
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
EVLN($29k wheelchair goes where none has gone before)-long
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://www.bergenrecord.com/page.php?level_3_id=3&page=5090986
$29,000 wheelchair goes where none has gone before
Monday, November 11, 2002 By DANIEL SFORZA Staff Writer
Stairs will no longer be dead ends. Conversations will take
place eye-to-eye. And going out for a cup of coffee will
take little, if any, planning.
That's the promise a new type of motorized wheelchair holds
for the nation's 4.3 million wheelchair users.
The iBOT can climb curbs, "walk" up stairs, and stand on two
of its six wheels without losing balance. With four-wheel
drive, it can also hit the beach, tool around in the snow,
or take on a hiking trail. And it could be available within
a year.
"It allows people in a chair to do something they haven't
done before, go over curbs and up steps in a seated
position," said wheelchair user Dr. Bill Scelza, a
specialist in spinal cord injuries at the Kessler Institute
for Rehabilitation in West Orange. "No other machine has
been able to do that."
The chair was invented by Deka Research and Development
Corp. of New Hampshire and is marketed by a subsidiary of
New Brunswick-based Johnson & Johnson.
The iBOT - formally named the Independence iBOT Mobility
System - will cost $29,000 when it hits the market, a steep
jump from regular wheelchairs, which can be found for a few
hundred dollars. Insurance companies are expected to review
claims on a case-by-case basis to determine how much of the
cost will be covered, J&J officials have said.
Insurers have not evaluated the device but generally cover
wheelchairs if they are a medical necessity.
That may pose a problem for the iBOT, which could be seen as
a convenience instead. For instance, many companies will not
pay for an electric wheelchair if the person can use a
manual one.
Still, many say the expense is worth it compared with the
costs of renovating a home or buying a specialized van to
transport wheelchair users. The iBOT will fit in an
unmodified station wagon or sport-utility vehicle.
A Food and Drug Administration advisory committee is
scheduled to vote Nov. 20 on whether to preapprove the
chair.If it gets the panel's nod, the iBOT may gain final
approval from the FDA by mid-2003.
"This is going to break down barriers in a lot of places,"
said Dave Brown, a spokesman for J&J's Independence
Technology. "It allows spontaneity back in your life. You
don't have to worry about how you get there."
Curbs, stairs, grocery shelves, and dozens of other
impediments not seen as obstacles by the walking are
barriers to those in wheelchairs - a world that can be seen,
but one that is largely out of reach.
It wasn't until 1991 that the Americans with Disabilities
Act went into effect, calling for "barrier-free" alterations
to government buildings and other places of public
gathering, such as shopping malls. Many, but not all, curbs
have been cut, bringing them to street level. And ramps were
placed at city halls and post offices.
But the act doesn't apply to private property, such as
homes, apartment buildings, or restaurants - although many
have made an attempt to be accessible.
The result has been a world too troublesome for many
wheelchair users to explore.
"Sometimes it's easier not to do anything, rather than
plan," said Scelza, who has been in a wheelchair for 14
years following a car accident. "I have to do a lot of
planning - calling ahead, making arrangements - and
sometimes it doesn't all work out because of variables you
don't count on. It can make it frustrating."
The inventor of the chair, Dean Kamen, had the same
frustration. In the late 1980s, he saw a wheelchair user
struggling to climb a curb and the idea for the iBOT was
born, he has said in media interviews.
Kamen, in the news recently for his two-wheeled Segway
scooter referred to as "IT," did not respond to requests for
interviews. Kamen holds more than 150 patents, most for
medical technology, including a portable dialysis machine
and an expandable stent widely used to clear arterial
blockages. The Segway was developed from technology
pioneered in the iBOT.
And that technology is substantial.
On board the 250-pound machine are seven motors, six
gyroscopes, two rechargeable batteries, and three Intel
Pentium processors. The batteries charge overnight and will
last for a typical day of travel in two-wheel drive mode.
Four-wheel drive, used for rougher terrain, will eat up more
power.
The iBOT is belt-driven and, at less than 26 inches wide,
can fit through most standard doorways. It has a maximum
speed of 6 mph and comes with hooks for grocery bags.
It must be programmed for the person who is using the chair.
Height, weight, and other physical characteristics - such as
whether a person is right- or left-handed - are used to
create a profile the computers use to maintain balance.
What the wheelchair does that no other device can is ascend
stairs without transferring to another machine or using
assistance from others.
"All the time you go into a place that has three or four
steps," Scelza said. "This can easily accommodate not just
one step, but two or three or more. Now, unless there is an
elevator, you can't do it."
By pressing a few buttons on the armrest control pad, the
chair positions itself in stair-climbing mode by tilting
backward slightly and reorienting its center of gravity. The
wheelchair ascends stairs backward, and descends facing
forward. At all times, the user is kept level, avoiding an
out-of-control feeling.
The user will reach slightly to the rear, grab the handrail
on the staircase, and give a slight tug. The chair responds
by raising the front-drive wheel over the rear drive wheel
and placing it on the next step.
Another tug is needed to move to the next step. The chair
will climb as fast as a person can tug, but it will also
just rest on a step if the user needs to pause. In essence,
it mimics the way able-bodied people ascend stairs.
"It's not a difficult motion," said product specialist Sandy
Salerno, who demonstrated the chair for The Record. "There's
not a lot of strength required to do it. It's more
technique."
If a person can't make that motion, a handle is provided on
the rear of the chair so an assistant can provide the tug
needed to move the chair upstairs.
The feature that impresses people the most, however, is the
chair's ability to "stand." It can return users to their
previous height in a sitting position - and provide them
with a sense of balance.
The iBOT lifts a person by jacking up the seat and by
balancing upright on just two drive wheels. The gyroscopes
then sense the slightest movement and direct the computer to
drive the wheels to counteract that movement. Even if the
chair is hit or shoved by an external force, the computers
prevent it from tipping.
"It's like the inner ear," Salerno said. "You start to move
one way and the inner ear reacts. The chair is reacting the
same way."
The result is a sense of balance often lost by wheelchair
users, who view life from waist level. The chair can drive
in the upright position, allowing users to move around the
room, reach into upper cabinets, and grab things off top
shelves.
"The biggest wow we get is when a person returns to eye
level," Salerno said. "It's been a nice psychological
benefit, which a lot of wheelchair users have said."
Gabriella Stiefbold, clinical manager of inpatient
occupational therapy at Kessler, said the impact of such a
benefit cannot be underestimated.
"It's a big deal," she said. "This gives you ... the feeling
like it's your body that is moving. It compensates for your
movements. A standard seat elevator doesn't respond. It
doesn't have balance."
John Del Colle, a wheelchair user from Franklin Lakes, said
that may be its greatest benefit.
"Sometimes I get a crick in my neck from looking up," said
Del Colle, who has been in a wheelchair for 33 years
following a car accident. "I look at people's waists instead
of their faces."
Another plus is the ability of the iBOT to traverse snow,
mud, grass, and even compacted sand.
"The fact that it is all terrain is a plus," Stiefbold said.
"Patients go out much less in the winter months. For that
reason, this is going to be a huge advantage."
Del Colle agreed.
"Going on trails and going to the beach and just being
outdoors is something that might be very interesting," he
said.
But the chair might not be for everyone. A certain amount of
shoulder control and hand movement are needed to operate
it.
And it might not provide enough relief from pressure that
can cause bedsores for users constantly remaining in one
position. It tilts back about 20 to 25 degrees, but
therapists say that 45 degrees is needed for patients who
lack upper body strength.
Those with upper body strength can relieve pressure on the
legs and back in another way, such as with an armrest
push-up, Stiefbold said.
"If someone requires a lot of assistance to do a pressure
relief, they might not be right for this system," she said.
Cost may be a barrier to many who have survived without the
conveniences provided by the iBOT.
"Some of these things it does are very good," Del Colle
said. "But if we can't get them out to the public in a
reasonable, fairly cost-efficient way, it will be outside
the realm of many people."
He thinks insurance companies would have to pick up at least
$20,000 of the cost to make it affordable. Because the
device is not approved yet for medical use, it is unknown
how much insurance companies will cover.
"Clearly, a good deal more needs to happen before we can
assess whether to cover it," said Walt Cherniak, spokesman
for health insurer Aetna. "It is still being tested. Durable
medical equipment vendors are not selling it. It is too soon
to say what sort of coverage determination we would make for
this vehicle."
Cherniak said insurance companies, including Aetna, have all
new products and procedures reviewed by a panel of experts
that recommends what type of coverage should be provided.
"In this particular case, it is impossible to say right now
what decision we would reach," he said, adding that Aetna's
coverage policies are "fluid documents always under
review."
Kathleen Coleman, spokeswoman for Horizon Blue Cross Blue
Shield, agreed with Cherniak, saying no evaluation will be
done before the iBOT receives FDA approval.
And large companies that self-insure - in other words,
directly pay for their employees' medical costs - will each
have to make a decision on the iBOT.
Aside from costs, another issue for some will be the iBOT's
top speed of 6 mph.
Scelza, who uses an ultralight wheelchair that he can
quickly fold and put in his car, thinks the iBOT would just
slow him down.
But he acknowledged that in some situations, it would be an
asset.
"I can get around fairly fast in the chair I have," he said.
"But there would be some situations where it would be nice
to go up and down stairs."
Stiefbold said functions such as stair climbing will enable
many people who become disabled from disease or accident to
remain in their current homes, a big plus when a person is
adjusting to a dramatic change in lifestyle.
"It's a tremendous benefit to do that," she said. "We have a
lot of patients who are apartment dwellers."
For homeowners, adding ramps and widening doors can be
costly. And those renovations affect only the patient's
home, not the homes of relatives or neighbors, fostering
isolation.
"If someone is putting $100,000 into a home to renovate it,
then the $29,000 cost of the chair is insignificant,"
Stiefbold said. "People put in elevators. For that reason,
and the ability to go to other environments, to go to
holiday dinners, it's worth it."
iBOT, at a glance
What happens if the batteries die?
The batteries are designed to be charged overnight and last
for a typical day of use. Four-wheel drive mode will result
in shorter run time. A flashing green light indicates the
batteries have 20 percent of a charge left. A yellow light
indicates that it is time to charge. And red means the
machine will shut down immediately.
How can it be transported in a car?
The armrests and backrest of the iBOT fold to a compact
size. The keypad detaches, allowing someone to drive the
250-pound chair up a ramp into the rear of a station wagon
or sport-utility wagon.
How fast can it go?
The iBOT has a top speed of 6 mph. For comparison, a person
walks at a good clip at 4 mph. It has two speed settings
that are programmed specifically for the user of the chair.
The joystick allows for variable speed control much like a
gas pedal in a car. The iBOT has a horn.
What happens if the gyroscopes fail?
The iBOT is built with redundant systems. Although it has
six gyroscopes on board, only two are needed to control the
system. It also has three computers and seven motors that
can compensate for a failed component. If multiple systems
fail, the chair will return to a fail-safe mode, allowing
the user to drive but not use higher functions that may
cause a problem.
Can the wheelchair protect the user from accidents?
The chair's computer controls require the user to confirm
each selection. For instance, if the user chooses the
stair-climbing mode, the confirm button must be pressed
before the chair is ready to climb stairs. 5090986
Copyright © 2002 North Jersey Media Group Inc.
-
=====
' ____
~/__|o\__
'@----- @'---(=
. http://geocities.com/brucedp/
. EV List Editor & RE newswires
. (originator of the EV ascci art above)
=====
__________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Web Hosting - Let the expert host your site
http://webhosting.yahoo.com
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
EVLN(PALM DESERT golf cart float gives you a kick)
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://www.thedesertsun.com/news/stories/local/1036980867.shtml
Parade hits hole-in-one
Imagination rules annual Golf Cart procession
By Kenny Klein The Desert Sun November 11th, 2002
PALM DESERT -- For some people, attaching thousands of tiny
decorations to a golf cart float may lead to insanity.
But the repetitive tasks were nothing less than a mere blast
for the more than 50 students and parents who joined forces
to build the International Baccalaureate Program’s entry for
the 38th annual Golf Cart Parade on Sunday. The event theme
was "A Valley of Dreams."
"It’s really fun,’’ said Lauren Christian, 17, of La Quinta
High School, one of the three schools involved in building
the float. "I never had a chance to do anything like this
before.’’
Students from John Glenn Middle School and Amelia Earhart
Elementary School also took part in building the entry which
featured Snoopy and Amelia Earhart riding in a plane with
John Glenn being attacked by Jaws not far behind. The float
took several weeks to construct after school.
"It was a real collective effort,’’ said golf cart chairman
Mike Rowe. "Especially with the wind yesterday. The plane
almost took off by itself. We did not think we were going to
make it.’’
The group’s efforts, however, did make it, and in a big way.
The team brought home the Sweepstakes Trophy, the parade’s
top honor.
The day where imagination ruled El Paseo began about 1 p.m.
when 91 entries rumbled down the roadway to the delight of
more than 20,000 people, said Pam Troxel, the parade’s
director of communications.
And, one by one, each golf cart became more bizarre than the
last -- leading to many cheers and smiles.
There was Michelle Lundeen in her 1950 pink Studebaker. The
smiling faces from Washington Charter School singing in
front of a giant locomotive with a ringing bell. And that’s
not mentioning the castle, the boat, numerous marching bands
and others.
"Just when you think you have seen it all, then comes a golf
cart that just gives you a kick,’’ said Maurice Jacobs of
Palm Desert. "It’s really a sight to see.’’
It did not seem to matter if parade- goers were there for
the first time or the 10th time.
"It’s a nice day, and why not?’’ said first-time parade-goer
Frances Lopez of Palm Desert.
Others in the crowd seemed to really be at home.
Kendra Langers of Palm Springs brought her ice chest, her
dog Philly, a lounge chair, sunscreen and a book to wait for
the event to begin. She arrived at 10 a.m.
"I’ll never miss this while I’m alive,’’ said Langers, 73.
"It’s delightful and just gets better and better. I love it.
I just love it.’’
The Boys & Girls Club of Coachella Valley were the grand
marshals and recipients of proceeds from this year’s parade,
which was sponsored by the Palm Desert Chamber of Commerce
and the city of Palm Desert.
Kenny Klein covers police, fire and crime. He can be reached
at 778-4640 or by e-mail at [EMAIL PROTECTED]
-
=====
' ____
~/__|o\__
'@----- @'---(=
. http://geocities.com/brucedp/
. EV List Editor & RE newswires
. (originator of the EV ascci art above)
=====
__________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Web Hosting - Let the expert host your site
http://webhosting.yahoo.com
--- End Message ---
