Tag Archives: EVs

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California Announces Plan to Ban New Gas-powered Car Sales by 2035

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California Gov. Gavin Newsom said yesterday his state will decrease the number of gasoline-powered vehicles sold there until only zero-emissions cars and trucks are allowed for sale in just 15 years. He hopes all heavy-duty trucks sold there will be be zero-emissions 10 years after that, he said.

Last year, eight percent of vehicles sold in California were battery-electric or plug-ins. Officials said vehicle emissions account for 40 percent of the state’s greenhouse gases from human activity. Wildfires this summer have put more pressure on lawmakers to slow rising temperatures in the state.

The order will only affect new-vehicle sales, not ownership or resales, officials said. Clearly, it will require more charging infrastructure, including parking facilities. Read the whole story here.

 

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Electrifying the Transportation System

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Graphic of a charging electric vehicle in a cityBy Robert Ferrin

A quiet revolution is occurring in the transportation system as national, state, and local governments are planning toward a carbon-neutral future to combat poor air and water quality and climate change.  Automakers, too, are reacting to these currents of change.  A recent Forbes article highlighted a dozen auto manufacturers that will have electric vehicle models in production in 2020.  And forecasts are calling for up to 40 percent of car sales to be electric vehicles by 2040. Put simply, the electric vehicle is here to stay.  With the momentum building, how does the parking and mobility industry fit into an electric transportation future?

In this month’s issue of Parking & Mobility, the IPMI Research & Innovation Task Force, Electrification Working Group asked industry experts to give us some insights into what the future will look like and what we can do now as parking and mobility practitioners to be successful.  Read it here.  And after you read this thought-provoking article, leave the Task Force your comments on what you’d like to see the Working Group focus their efforts on next by taking our two-minute survey.

Robert Ferrin is assistant director for parking services in Columbus, Ohio.

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No More Free Parking for EVs in Hawaii

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Parking space marked for electric vehiclesA bill that would have extended free parking for electric vehicles (EVs) in state-owned facilities and at metered spaces in Hawaii died without being passed; EV drivers started paying for parking July 1.

Free parking for EVs is a common perk of ownership and environmental advocates say it’s an incentive to buy the cars. A DOT spokesman blamed the bill’s death on an odd legislative session during COVID-19; EV drivers had received free parking in Hawaii since 2012 and it was a popular thing–the airport alone lost $4 million per year in potential revenue because of it. The bill introduced this year would have extended that free parking for three years.

EVs can still drive in HOV lanes regardless of occupancy. Read the whole story here.

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Planes, Trains, Automobiles, and … Resilience

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Earth day sustainabilityBy Paul Wessel

I’ve been thinking quite a bit lately about resilience, technically defined as “the ability to prepare and plan for, absorb, recover from, and more successfully adapt to adverse events.”

While our country clearly has fallen short on preparing and planning for the current COVID-19 adverse event, we are figuring out in real time how to absorb, recover from, and (we hope) successfully adapt–and I am struck by the role of the much-maligned, single-occupant vehicle (SOV) in making our way through.

While social distancing and sheltering at home discourage shared-transit use at the moment –and potentially strangle it in the long term–my trusty all-electric Chevy Bolt sits ready for those trips to the pharmacy and market and, if need be, hospital. If supply chains break down, bus drivers can’t drive, or gasoline can’t get delivered, as long as I have electricity (should’ve installed that solar energy system on my roof), my family is fine.

The resilient SOV was brought home to me by GM and its OnStar subsidiary’s announcement that it was giving me and other GM owners car-based free Wi-Fi and “crisis assist” (emergency operator assistance) service. So if the world goes to hell in a handbasket, my “drevice,” as my wife calls it, can keep me connected with the rest of surviving humanity and necessary emergency services.

Resilience draws from biology’s concept of adaptation as the “mechanism by which organisms adjust … to changes in their current environment.” It may be that the SOV that connects us to the outside world–or delivers us food from local restaurants or markets while we are sheltering at home–is both a cause of looming adverse events (transportation is the fastest growing source of CO2 emissions) and part of the way we survive. Can we work with both these conflicting ideas at once?

(For some good, nuanced thinking about the SOV and public transit, see transit planner Jarrett Walker’s CityLab piece on why those of who can will opt for our cars coming out of this crisis and why transit makes urban civilization possible.)

Paul Wessel is director, market development, with the U.S. Green Building Council. This post is part of a five-day series commemorating Earth Day 2020.

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Charging Ahead

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electric car chargingBy Robert Ferrin

The City of Columbus, Ohio, was the recipient of a $10 million Paul G. Allen Family Foundation Grant that’s purpose was to lay a practical path to replacing carbon-based fuel consumption and inspire action to protect and sustain the environment through decarbonization and electrification. One of Columbus’ five priorities through this electrification program is to increase the number of charging stations in the region by nearly 1,000 ports. To meet this goal, the team has been focused on creating programs and incentivizing the installation of chargers at both the workplace and at home, where the majority of electric vehicle (EV) charging happens; in fact, as much as 85 percent of EV charging happens at home.

The city created a rebate program to expand the charging network for those living in apartments and condominiums. The Smart Columbus team also created a playbook for those implementing chargers in multi-dwelling units, including the cost of deployment, the rebate program, and the unique challenges faced by installing chargers at these types of locations. Our hope is these resources will not only be applicable to the Columbus region but also to cities and town nationally.

For more information on this case study and or other Smart Columbus related projects please click here.

Robert Ferrin, is the assistant director for parking services with the City of Columbus, Ohio. This post comes from the work of the Electrification Working Group of IPMI’s Research & Innovation Task Force.

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Preparing for a Connected, Autonomous Future

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By Michelle Wendler, AIA

The development of connected and autonomous technology has opened up a future of endless possibilities for the parking and mobility industry, all with the potential to not only change the way we park and move but also open up new avenues of sustainable design that will make our world a better place.

Sustainability is already an integral part of everyday best parking practices, from installing photovoltaic panels to pursuing Parksmart certification. As we continue to innovate and get closer to a truly connected future, we will create even more green opportunities. The continued proliferation of electric vehicles will further reduce emissions. The evolution of driverless cars may open up possibilities to densify and reduce street and lot parking. Connected cities have the potential to reduce congestion and create more sustainable mobility solutions.

While we may not have definitive answers as to what the impact of connected and autonomous technology will be and how and when our infrastructure will evolve, this exciting new horizon provides us with some unique opportunities to help shape that future. The value we as parking professionals can offer our clients is to design today’s projects with an eye on tomorrow, to put them in a better position to adapt when the time comes.

Things owners can do now to prepare today’s parking facilities for tomorrow’s needs are to design with future electrical capacity, wireless needs, and EV charging technology in mind. Even if this infrastructure is not necessary today, it can avoid costly upgrades in the future. Owners can also view structured parking as park-once transportation hubs and as such, incorporate bike lockers and information about public transit options available once you park.

Likewise, evaluating the possibilities and upfront costs of adaptive reuse can help owners make informed decision on how to make the most out of their facility during the course of its lifespan. Adaptive reuse is an exciting topic, but it is also a costly undertaking that requires careful consideration to determine if it is the right approach for a specific project. For more information on the cost of adaptive reuse, click here.

This Earth Day, let’s celebrate the possibilities a connected and autonomous future offer us, with an eye on the steps we can take now to help prepare for it.

Michelle Wendler, AIA, is principal with Watry Design, Inc.

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USDOT Announces Grants for Advanced Bus Technology

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The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced $84.5 million in grants to fund the deployment  of advanced technology buses and transit infrastructure. Fifty-two projects in 41 states received grants to buy or lease hybrid or electric-engine buses and related technologies, including charging stations. Grants include:

  • $2.25 million to Broward County, Fla., Transit to buy battery-electric buses and install solar infrastructure.
  • $2.29 million to the Chicago Transit Authority for electric buses and chargers with on-route charging capability.
  • $980,000 to the Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation for solar charging infrastructure.
  • $1.4 million to the Town of Chapel Hill, N.C., for battery-electric buses.
  • $2.29 million to the Transit Authority of Lexington, Ky., to buy battery-electric buses and a cost assessment to inform more electric bus efforts.

Check out the whole list of grants here.