The hurdles to moving from a gasoline-dominated private transportation environment to one that contains a lot of batteries and plug-in vehicles are many. If nothing else, that's one message we can take away from the Sustainable Mobility Seminar and the AltCar Expo this past week. So, when I came across the Columbia MEGA van in the parking lot at AltCar, I couldn't help but think that this vehicles isn't going to make jumping those hurdles much easier. This NEV-like van doesn't provide any noteworthy specs (it's available with either a 19- or 25-mph top speed, for example), and the battery maintenance requirements/suggestions mean that if there was ever a vehicle that only appeals to early adopters, this is the one. A sheet that hung in the display vehicle's cab described how drivers need to keep adding distilled water to the battery, keep the lead plates covered and check the electrolyte level every month. The batteries should be recharged when they lose 20 percent of their charge. The sheet continues:

"Batteries may be recharged if vehicle has been driven 15 minutes or more since the previous charge. ... Plugging in the Delta Q Charger overnight or when the vehicle is not in use for 3-5 or more days is encouraged. ... The Delta Q Charger can be left plugged in as it has a 30 day self test and battery temperature monitor. ... Water and Charge your batteries regularly!" (Emphasis theirs). Read it all here.

Piaggio, the scooter maker best known for making Vespa, will be the first to sell electric vehicles in Isreal, in just one month. According to Ha'aretz, the electric vehicles will be Piaggio's Porter brand, small multipurpose vans (MPV) which come in five types, including models with payload tippers. The vans have 12 or 14 horsepower engines, a top speed of 36 MPH and 155-mile range on a full charge, which takes about two hours from a normal home outlet. The van will cost 120,000 Israeli Shekels ($33,018 US dollars).

Why is Paggio doing this now? Israel recently instated a "green tax" on cars hoping to develop their electric car market. A Paggio company spokesman says they have won approval "in principle" for the tax breaks on the purchase price of cars. Project Better Place and Renault were the first companies to come out in support of Israel's push for electric cars but it's open to any green car maker. I fully expect many more automakers to sign up just like they did with Thailand's government program to make green cars.

Related:

• Israel considering making electric vehicles completely tax free
• Israeli government passes "green tax" on cars
• It's official! Project Better Place, Renault signs deal to bring electric cars to Israel
• Piaggio's MP3 family grows with 500 and 400 models
• Piaggio launches a three and four-wheeled offensive, with diesel and CNG engines

[Source: Ha'aretz, Infolive.tv]

The all-electric Modec compact delivery van, known for being the choice model for British supermarkets Tesco, has been shown to prospective buyers in Amsterdam (in a left-hand version) during the Dutch Road Transport Exhibition. Modec has just opened a new office in the Netherlands and the first Dutch customers are small companies in the metro area of Amsterdam.

This Modec van has a 102 HP electric motor which can compete with diesel-powered counterparts, although the maximum speed is limited to 80 km/h (50 mph). The maximum distance these vans can run is 160 km (100 miles), which is enough for local services. The truck uses lithium batteries.

The van is available in many configurations: truck, open truck, panel van, refrigerated truck. And it's a model designed from scratch for electric use, instead of being a conversion model. Looks like they're on to something here.



Related:

• Axeon gets £2.5 million lithium ion battery order
• Meet the MODEC: Electric Delivery Van
• Tesco will be first UK company with all-electric, zero-emission delivery fleet

[Source: Modec via Moteurnature]