FILE- This Feb. 19, 2012, file photo, shows a 2012 Chevrolet Volt outside at a Chevrolet dealership in the south Denver suburb of Englewood, Colo. General Motors reported on Thursday, May 3, that it earned $1 billion in the first quarter but losses in Europe and a huge charge weighed on results. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

storyidforme: 30643105
tmspicid: 11127043
fileheaderid: 5082367

If you’re interested in buying an electric automobile or just want to learn more about the vehicles, Moraine Valley Community College will host a forum Wednesday on the opportunities and obstacles involved with the cars.

State agencies including the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity will have representatives at the event, as will automakers such as Ford and General Motors.

The event will be held in Building M at the college, 9000 W. College Parkway, Palos Hills. A selection of electric vehicles — the Chevy Volt, Mitsubishi i and Nissan Leaf — will be available for test drives.

The daylong forum begins with registration and a continental breakfast at 8:30 a.m.

Panel discussions will focus on efforts to deploy electric charging stations in the Chicago area and rebates and tax incentives available to buyers of electric vehicles.

]]> http://carspike.com/mvcc-to-host-electric-car-forum/feed/ 0 http://carspike.com/brica-back-seat-storage-with-seat-protector-gray/ http://carspike.com/brica-back-seat-storage-with-seat-protector-gray/#comments Sat, 19 May 2012 01:00:16 +0000 steve http://carspike.com/brica-back-seat-storage-with-seat-protector-gray/

Brica Back Seat Storage with Seat Protector – Gray

Brica Back Seat Storage with Seat Protector Portable tote keeps toys neat and organized. Convenient pockets on three sides of storage bin hold smaller items, books and cups. Plus three additional mesh pockets on front of seat protector provide even more storage. Provides padded protection form spills and compression damage. Straps secure seat protector to vehicles seat belts.

•Spacious, removable tote with built-in carry handles for simple portability•Seat protector helps protect seat from spills and compression damage
•Straps secure seat protector to car seat belts
•Three pockets on seat protector provide additional storage
•Portable tote keeps toys neat and organized

Binding : Baby Product
Brand : Brica
CatalogNumberList :
Color : Gray
Department : baby-boys
EANList :
Feature : Spacious, removable tote with built-in carry handles for easy portability, Seat protector helps protect seat from spills and compression damage, Straps secure seat protector to vehicle seat belts, Three pockets on seat protector provide additional storage, Portable tote keeps toys neat and organized
Feature : Spacious, removable tote with built-in carry handles for easy portability
Label : Brica
Manufacturer : Brica
ManufacturerMaximumAge : 120
Model : 65000
PartNumber : 65000
Publisher : Brica
ReleaseDate : 2011-02-18
Studio : Brica
UPCList :

A new, electric automobile charging station has been installed at Perfection Tire and Auto Repair on Union Street in Kennewick.

The charger is designed to fully charge electric vehicles in less than eight hours, and is compatible with all models of electric cars.

Perfection Tire hopes to install chargers at all of its locations, and get the word out to electric automobile users so it can increase its business for other automotive needs.

The only chargers in the Tri-Cities are at dealerships that sell electric vehicles making this the first business, outside of dealerships, to own the technology.

Perfection Tire is offering the service for free, and anyone with an electric automobile is welcome to use the charger during the repair shop’s business hours.

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration sent investigators to help investigate the cause of the fire at a home in Sugar Land, Texas, that Fisker learned of May 3, Claude Harris, the agency’s director of automobile safety compliance, stated Friday.

“We are conducting an on-going field inquiry for an EV incident in Texas,” Harris stated at a Transportation Department electric-vehicle safety forum in Washington. “We are still engaged in that activity, and no determination has been made at this time.”

Lynda Tran, an bureau spokeswoman, confirmed that the Texas inquiry is of the Fisker fire.

Fisker, based in Anaheim, received $529 million in electric-vehicle loans from the U.S. Energy Department to develop the Karma and a proposed second model, the Atlantic. The credit line was frozen last year after the company was late in meeting milestones related to the Karma, which is made in Finland.

Roger Ormisher, a company spokesman, called the inquiry “routine.” The company is working with NHTSA and insurance adjusters to determine the fire’s cause, he said.

“We also comprehend that the officials looked at other vehicles involved in the fire too,” he said. “The lithium-ion battery of the Fisker Karma was fully intact after the fire and has been tested and is in full working condition. Currently, the precise ignition source and cause of the garage fire is still to be determined.”

NHTSA’s inquiry is one in a series the bureau has conducted on incidents involving electric vehicles equipped with lithium-ion batteries. Others have included a fire in North Carolina last year that was determined to not have been caused by the electric car, and an incident in which a General Motors Co. Chevrolet Volt caught fire three weeks after the bureau performed crash tests on it.

Fisker officials stated May 8 that the automobile could not have caused the fire because its battery was intact and was not being charged at the time. The automobile was bought after the recall of Karmas with defective battery packs supplied by A123 Systems Inc.

It made those statements after a Fort Bend County, Texas, fire investigator was quoted by Auto Week, an industry publication, as saying the fire originated with the vehicle.

The Energy Department, whose loan programs are subject to congressional scrutiny, defended its loan to Fisker in a letter Friday to Republican Sens. Charles Grassley of Iowa and John Thune of South Dakota.

The pair had asked the bureau last month to respond to questions about the loan to Fisker, which they called “one of the more uncommon recipients.” Ford Motor Co., Nissan Motor Co. and Tesla Motors Inc. also received Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing loans.

“Like the due diligence performed on all ATVM applications, the department’s due diligence for the Fisker loan was extensive with rigorous financial, technical, legal and market analysis conducted over many months by DOE’s internal professional staff, including qualified engineers and financial experts and outside experts,” David Frantz, acting executive director of the department’s loan programs office, stated in the letter.

Grassley and Thune stated the response ignored the questions they posed.

“There’s also a lot of discussion of the due diligence that went into making the loan but no evidence to show what that due diligence actually was,” Grassley stated in a statement. “I intend to follow up for a more thorough response.”

Rep. Andy Harris, a Maryland Republican who is chairman of the House Science Energy and Environment Subcommittee, also sent a letter Friday to the Energy Department asking for information about its advanced-vehicle spending, including allows given to Ecotality Inc., which installs vehicle-charging infrastructure.

An electric automobile can be an best choice if your daily driving needs are modest. According to studies done by General Motors, on average, most Americans drive fewer than 40 miles a day. Now think about that, according to the EPA, the Nissan Leaf has a range of 73 miles before it needs recharging and the Mitsubishi i goes 62 miles before its battery pack is drained. The Chevrolet Volt — a plug-in gas-electric hybrid — travels 35 miles before its gas engine kicks in for the next 250 miles, but it’s running nearly exclusively on gas during that time.

If you only have one car, an electric automobile may not be for you given the modest range. For example, the 84-mile round trip to Busch Gardens from downtown Norfolk, Va., is beyond the EPA range of most electric vehicles without a recharge at the park.

Beyond a weekend outing, think about where and when you can plug your electric automobile in. Do you have a place to recharge at your office, or are you going to have to wait until you get home? Given that, a Chevrolet Volt would be a better solution if it’s your only car. Most days, you’d never burn gas. For other drivers, the Leaf or an i would make the perfect daily second car.

All of the vehicles in this story are recharged by plugging them into an electric outlet. Recharging times vary depending on the size of the car’s battery pack and how much of its power is depleted.

All electric vehicles can be recharged using a conventional 120-volt electrical outlet, also known as Level One charging. But it can take as long as 20 hours to fully recharge a depleted battery. Most electric vehicles can be recharged faster using a 240-volt outlet, the sort used for an electric clothes dryer. Usually, this requires that your garage or carport be wired for a 240-volt outlet and the use of special chargers for the car. This is known as Level Two charging.

The difference in charging time is noticeable. The Nissan Leaf, which can take up to 20 hours to recharge at Level One, takes eight hours at Level Two.

Also think about if you can recharge your automobile while at work and what sort of charger is available — Level One or Two.

And finally, remember that the vehicle’s battery size makes a difference in charging time. While the Leaf takes eight hours to recharge at 240 volts, the Chevrolet Volt, with its significantly smaller battery pack, recharges in five hours at 240. Chargers can be bought from automakers or third-party vendors.

An electric automobile may seem similar to a conventional car, but the differences begin the minute you hit the starter button.

Most noticeable is what is missing. Start it up, and there is no noise or shudder. Lights come on, but you feel and hear nothing. There is a transmission lever or knob, but no clutch pedal. It’s not needed; the automobile uses a continuously variable automatic transmission. There are no fixed gears. Since electric motors lack engine braking, there is a separate gear to help slow the car.

There is no tachometer showing engine speed. Instead, a gauge shows the percentage of remaining charge. Another readout shows distance remaining until total battery discharge.

Usually, EVs have a normal driving mode and an eco mode, which restricts acceleration to conserve battery charge. The drive line of these vehicles shuts off when stopped for a light, but accessories such as radios, climate control and wipers still function.

Acceleration is quick off the line. Unlike gas engines, where power builds up gradually, electric power comes on instantly, like flipping a light switch. However, driving aggressively quickly depletes battery power. Weather, ambient temperature and accessory load (climate control, audio system use) can greatly affect range.

If you are considering a new automobile purchase, an electric automobile might be worthy of consideration for the first time since the Turkey Trot was a national craze. While the thought of never visiting a gas station again holds appeal, there are things to think about before you take the plunge.

An electric automobile can be an best choice if your daily driving needs are modest. According to studies done by General Motors, on average, most Americans drive fewer than 40 miles a day. Now think about that, according to the EPA, the Nissan Leaf has a range of 73 miles before it needs recharging and the Mitsubishi i goes 62 miles before its battery pack is drained. The Chevrolet Volt — a plug-in gas-electric hybrid — travels 35 miles before its gas engine kicks in for the next 250 miles, but it’s running nearly exclusively on gas during that time.

If you only have one car, an electric automobile may not be for you given the modest range. For example, the 84-mile round trip to Busch Gardens from downtown Norfolk, Va., is beyond the EPA range of most electric vehicles without a recharge at the park.

Beyond a weekend outing, think about where and when you can plug your electric automobile in. Do you have a place to recharge at your office, or are you going to have to wait until you get home? Given that, a Chevrolet Volt would be a better solution if it’s your only car. Most days, you’d never burn gas. For other drivers, the Leaf or an i would make the perfect daily second car.

All of the vehicles in this story are recharged by plugging them into an electric outlet. Recharging times vary depending on the size of the car’s battery pack and how much of its power is depleted.

All electric vehicles can be recharged using a conventional 120-volt electrical outlet, also known as Level One charging. But it can take as long as 20 hours to fully recharge a depleted battery. Most electric vehicles can be recharged faster using a 240-volt outlet, the sort used for an electric clothes dryer. Usually, this requires that your garage or carport be wired for a 240-volt outlet and the use of special chargers for the car. This is known as Level Two charging.

The difference in charging time is noticeable. The Nissan Leaf, which can take up to 20 hours to recharge at Level One, takes eight hours at Level Two.

Also think about if you can recharge your automobile while at work and what sort of charger is available — Level One or Two.

And finally, remember that the vehicle’s battery size makes a difference in charging time. While the Leaf takes eight hours to recharge at 240 volts, the Chevrolet Volt, with its significantly smaller battery pack, recharges in five hours at 240. Chargers can be bought from automakers or third-party vendors.

An electric automobile may seem similar to a conventional car, but the differences begin the minute you hit the starter button.

Most noticeable is what is missing. Start it up, and there is no noise or shudder. Lights come on, but you feel and hear nothing. There is a transmission lever or knob, but no clutch pedal. It’s not needed; the automobile uses a continuously variable automatic transmission. There are no fixed gears. Since electric motors lack engine braking, there is a separate gear to help slow the car.

There is no tachometer showing engine speed. Instead, a gauge shows the percentage of remaining charge. Another readout shows distance remaining until total battery discharge.

Usually, EVs have a normal driving mode and an eco mode, which restricts acceleration to conserve battery charge. The drive line of these vehicles shuts off when stopped for a light, but accessories such as radios, climate control and wipers still function.

Acceleration is quick off the line. Unlike gas engines, where power builds up gradually, electric power comes on instantly, like flipping a light switch. However, driving aggressively quickly depletes battery power. Weather, ambient temperature and accessory load (climate control, audio system use) can greatly affect range.

All electric vehicles use regenerative braking, which captures energy from braking to help recharge the car’s batteries. As a result, the brakes grab quickly and the vehicles decelerate quicker than most drivers are accustomed to.

On the car’s exterior, you will find an electric charge port in place of an opening to gas up.

The Union of Concerned Scientists, a non-profit advocacy group founded in 1969 at MIT, uses scientific analysis to address social issues such as climate change, energy, transportation, sustainable agriculture and scientific integrity. According to a study released last month by the group, the impact of driving a Nissan Leaf in Hampton Roads or Northeast North Carolina on global warming is at the same level as that of driving a gas-powered automobile that returns 55 mpg in combined city/highway driving. For the Mitsubishi i, the gas-powered automobile would have to return 63 mpg to match the i’s impact. According to the EPA figures, not a single automobile meets these standards.

This is despite electric utilities’ reliance on coal.

Even when coal’s dominance as an electric power source is considered, gas vehicles contribute more to global warming than EVs. The UCS study cites not just automobile emissions, but the “wells to wheels” emissions generated by extracting, refining and delivering petroleum to the vehicle. By contrast, electric vehicles have no emissions; the only emissions come from power plants.

And, if a power plant increases its use of renewable energy, such as wind or solar, the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions can be significant. Considering that the average gas-powered compact automobile in the United States returns 27 mpg, charging an electric automobile on average has a greenhouse gas impact of 30 mpg nationwide, according to the UCS. But, if the power plant is fired by natural gas, that score would be 54 mpg; wind, 3,900 mpg.

Just like some gas vehicles travel further on a gallon of gas, some electric vehicles go farther off a kilowatt-hour of electricity. The Mitsubishi i is the most efficient, using 0.3 kWh/mile or the equivalent of 112 mpg, according to the EPA. The Leaf rates 0.34 kWh/mile or 99 mpg-e, while the Volt measures 0.36 kWh/mile or 94 mpg-e.

Electric vehicles, such as the Nissan Leaf and Mitsubishi i, and gas-electric hybrids cost more than your typical vehicle. The Leaf starts at $35,200, the i at $29,125 and the Volt at $39,145. All of them are eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit.

Assuming these vehicles are driven 11,000 miles annually — or 30 miles a day — the Leaf driver would save $1,180 a year in Hampton Roads; the i driver, $1,210, according to UCS analysis. This assumes a gas price of $3.50 a gallon.

According to an analysis by the Society of Automotive Engineers, Chevrolet Volt drivers use electricity for 64 percent of their travel. Assuming that, you’d save $857 annually, assuming a premium gas price of $3.70.

If you drive more than 11,000 miles a year, the savings will be greater.

Or, put another way, the Leaf and i drivers save 400 gallons of gas annually, the Volt driver 260 gallons vs. your average gas car, which returns 27 mpg in combined city/highway driving.

Still, there is one more cost to consider: battery replacement. According to Consumer Reports, the Volt’s batteries are estimated to cost $8,000, the Leaf’s approximately $18,000. Thankfully, both EVs have 8-year/100,000-mile warranties on their battery packs and related components.

Given the positive environmental impact and the savings versus conventionally powered vehicles, an electric automobile is a viable solution for those who can live with its limited driving range. And the costs reported by the UCS show that while recharging an EV will raise your electric bill, it’s still less than the price paid at the pump, in the air and overseas.

The LAW California F&I Library, which is an outgrowth of the strategic alliance formed between Reynolds and the CNCDA in Oct. 2011, offers dealers a set of standard F&I forms designed to help manage risk, provide common defenses in litigation, and streamline processes.

“In today’s constantly evolving regulatory environment, vehicle dealerships, state agencies, and financial institutions continue to look for ways to ensure appropriate levels of compliance and to gain efficiencies in their F&I processes,” stated Jerry Kirwan, senior vice president of Document Solutions at Reynolds and Reynolds. “The LAW California F&I Library is a huge step forward in helping dealerships manage risk and maintain compliance, while also streamlining the F&I process.”

The LAW California F&I Library was developed and will be maintained using the combined legal expertise of Reynolds’ Director of Compliance Terry O’Loughlin and the CNCDA Legal Department. Additional support for the project was provided by Manning, Leaver, Bruder & Berberich; Rob Cohen of Auto Advisory Services; Robert Robards of Automotive System Analysis; and Hudson Cook, LLP.

CNCDA President Peter Welch said: “At CNCDA, one of our highest priorities is to help dealers reduce litigation risk by providing legally reviewed documents that help standardize the F&I process. The CNCDA board chose Reynolds for this project because they share the same vision and bring to the table the expertise necessary to create and maintain these standard documents. The LAW California F&I Library will be instrumental in helping California new vehicle dealers potentially reduce liability, provide common defenses in litigation, and streamline processes.”

Reynolds and Reynolds is the leader in serving vehicle dealerships nation-wide with standard and custom business and vehicle sales forms to help dealers manage their operations and serve their customers more effectively. The flagship product of Reynolds Document Solutions is the LAW® 553 universal retail sales contract – the retail contract most widely used by franchised vehicle dealers across the United States. In addition, Reynolds offers a full suite of other document solutions suitable for F&I processes. 

CNCDA is the country’s largest state association of franchised new vehicle and truck dealers, representing more than 1,200 members. Last year CNCDA dealer members sold over 2 million new and used vehicles with aggregate total sales of more than $65 billion.

About Reynolds Documents Solutions Reynolds document solutions and forms are available in all 50 says and have been endorsed by a number of state vehicle dealers associations for the benefits they provide for dealerships, lenders, and consumers.

About Reynolds Reynolds and Reynolds – headquartered in Dayton, Ohio – was founded in 1866 as a business forms printer.  Today, Reynolds is recognized as the leading provider of vehicle dealership software, services, and forms that help dealerships manage business operations and improve business results.  (www.reyrey.com)

SOURCE The Reynolds and Reynolds Company

What You Should Know About Comments on Sacbee.com

Sacbee.com is happy to provide a forum for reader interaction, discussion, feedback and reaction to our stories. However, we reserve the right to delete inappropriate comments or ban users who can’t play nice. (See our full terms of service here.)

Here are some rules of the road:

• Keep your comments civil. Don’t insult one another or the subjects of our articles. If you think a comment violates our guidelines click the “Report Abuse” link to notify the moderators. Responding to the comment will only encourage bad behavior.

• Don’t use profanities, vulgarities or hate speech. This is a general interest news site. Sometimes, there are kids present. Don’t state anything in a way you would not want your own child to hear.

• Do not attack other users; focus your comments on issues, not individuals.

• Stay on topic. Only post comments relevant to the article at hand.

• Do not copy and paste outside material into the comment box.

• Don’t repeat the same comment over and over. We heard you the first time.

• Do not use the commenting system for advertising. That’s spam and it is not allowed.

• Don’t use all capital letters. That’s akin to yelling and not appreciated by the audience.

• Don’t flag other users’ comments just because you do not concur with their point of view. Please only flag comments that violate these guidelines.

If you submit a comment, the user name of your account will appear along with it. Users can’t remove their own comments once they have submitted them.

It takes a few seconds for the systems check and the all clear light to illuminate on the dash. Then just pull the transmission lever through to Drive and the automobile creeps away without any throttle like a conventional automatic. Like most electric cars, the initial acceleration is startling as the electric motor delivers its maximum 245lb ft of torque virtually from a standstill. It falters away above 50mph, however, as the torque slopes off, even though the 90mph top speed is easily attainable if you aren’t bothered about range.

It rides well, with only a slight indication of that extra weight when you turn into a corner. The steering feels accurate and well weighted and on the right road, it’s quite fun to drive as long as you aren’t worried about being stranded at the side of it. Ford has also managed to engineer a better braking balance between electricity regeneration and the friction linings than its rivals.

Like its coevals, the BEV Focus suffers from the limitations of the technology; a limited range, high-cost battery pack and long recharge times. It’s been put together well and drives pleasingly, but for the moment it’s only going to appeal to wealthy eco enthusiasts with access to a second, internal combustion-engined car.

Tested: Five-door hatchback with 23kWh liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery pack and AC motor, front-wheel drive

Price/on sale: From about £25,000 with £5,000 Government grant/autumn

Acceleration: 0-62mph in 9.5sec (est)

CO2 emissions: None at tailpipe

Verdict: Refined and well engineered, but the limited range and high price mean that at present this will appeal only to well-heeled environmentalists

Telegraph rating: Two out of five stars

Car of the Year last year, the Leaf is the first mass-production BEV. It suffers some drawbacks for that, particularly the ethereal style and first-generation feel, but it also feels special and weird. Performance is much the same as that of the Ford, but the price is high and for various reasons, not all of Nissan’s making, sales have been lower than expected.

More luxurious materials in mainstream vehicles and a greater amount of technology are being driven by engineering and manufacturing advances that are reducing costs as well as the industry’s emergence from a deep recession that put some research and development investments on hold.

“The interior has become so much more important,” stated Ford designer Robert Gelardi at the WardsAuto Interiors Conference in Dearborn Thursday.

“The exterior is about projection of the brand image but the interior is where you experience the brand,” Gelardi said.

Vehicles have been criticized for cheap plastic and other shortcuts in the past but today’s consumers are smart and discerning.

“People are more aware of design and recognize craftsmanship,” Gelardi said.

And there is more money to put into interiors, stated Jae Min, head designer for Volkswagen of America.

Future automobile interiors may feature larger, more colorful displays tailored to the driver and their automobile as well as the capability to change functions with the wave of a hand, or to customize the interior lighting to suit an individual’s tastes.

Displays can be configured to reflect the profile of the driver. For an older driver, an “augmented reality” heads-up display can portray surroundings such as lanes and traffic signs on the windshield, buttons on the center console can be bigger and simpler, stated Susan Drescher of supplier Continental.

“We need technologies that make vehicles an extension of their consumer,” Drescher said.

Advances in manufacturing and more flexible purchasing budgets from automakers are ushering in the adoption of a whole new set of interior lighting options, stated Gerhard Fleischmann, engineering director for Lear’s global lighting relationships with German automakers.

Automakers are now embracing adjustable LED lighting for many areas of a car’s interior ranging from rims of cupholders and the inside of glove boxes to the dashboard.

One automaker Lear is working with plans to introduce an LED headlight system in 2014 that automatically dims the lights when oncoming traffic is approaching and returns to a high-beam strength when there are no vehicles ahead.

“Now after the recession what we recognize is that yes, (automakers) are prepared to spend more money on advanced technologies, to push them and even to fund them,” Fleischmann said.

Technology also can help drivers who have diminished eyesight or hearing, entice millennials who want to connect their phones and other devices, and be reconfigured for multiple drivers who participate in ride sharing in congested areas, stated Drescher.

Podolefsky’s motorcycle sat between a yellow Tesla Roadster and an array of electric-assist bicycles at Boulder’s Electric Car Expo in the parking lot next to CU’s Wolf Law building.

The expo was one of seven state-wide events celebrating Colorado’s first Electric Vehicle Day and featured electric vans, cars, bikes, motorcycles, recumbent bikes, tricycles and scooters from 15 different vendors, stated event planner Beth Powell.

Podolefsky’s matte-black sport bike has a range of about 40 to 60 miles per charge, depending on the speed. The bike is recharged through a 120-watt average household outlet. The bike can reach speeds of at least 90 miles per hour, he said, but he hasn’t pushed it faster than that.

“I do not usually need to go faster than like 50 anyway,” Podolefsky said. 

The new Tesla Model S, expected to be released this summer, has battery options with ranges of 160 miles up to 300 miles while reaching zero to 60 miles per hour in 4.4 seconds, according to the company’s brochure.

A golf-cart-looking car labelled CU-Police was parked across from a commercial van — the largest of the electric vehicles on display.

Kristin Epley, sustainability project manager at CU, stated the Boulder campus is anticipating a similar van later this summer that will be used to help the Environmental Center with recycling.

The expo also featured a Toyota Prius that is part of a smart grid study in Boulder and CU’s first charging station located outside Wolf Law. CU also has a fleet of about eight electric golf carts used by housing, grounds and maintenance crews that were not on display. 

“In terms of electric vehicles, we are definitely a hub of activity in the growing industry,” Epley said.

A group of CU employees were also eying one of the most unique vehicles at the expo, an electric tractor with solar panels.

The tractor with John Deer yellow and green paint is made by Free Power Systems in Longmont and will start selling the model soon, stated employee Gunnar Ness.

Ness has been using the tractor in a five-acre organic garden for about 11/2 years now and stated it has proven quite useful.

“It runs on full power for about two hours and then plugs into a regular outlet whenever you need a charge,” Ness said. “I use it to chop wood in the winter and to plow. It’s been great for what we need it for.”

The tractor runs $15,500, which Ness stated is cheaper than the non-electric version.

Many EVs, as they are called, remain too costly and impractical for the masses, Podolefsky said, which is part of the reason he doesn’t plan on turning his bikes into a business just yet.

Podolefsky stated he is working on his second bike, but for now converting motorcycles is just a hobby for the EV-lover.

“Right now, it’s all about raising enthusiasm for electric vehicles,” Podolefsky said. “It’s a growing field so educating people is really important at this point and that is what I’m focused on now.”

It was my second time driving an electric vehicle. The first was years ago when I took General Motors’ now-defunct EV1 for a zip down a few local streets.

This week, Ford let journalists test drive some of the automaker’s new vehicles and trucks around the South Bay.

I had time for only one drive, so I picked the all-electric version of the 2012 Ford Focus. The hatchback will be in showrooms within the next couple of months.

Aside from the occasional golf cart, electric vehicles are a novelty on American roads. The Nissan Leaf is the top-selling electric car, even though Toyota, Tesla and some other companies are trying to find success in this segment.

Market penetration of electric vehicles is tiny. What’s reassuring is the auto industry’s increasing focus on this technology, which can help the world reduce consumption of the ubiquitous yet filthy fuel of oil.

The move to electric is not a fad, but a trend for an industry eager to satisfy consumers’ desire to feel like they are doing something good for the environment.

That’s why Ford also uses recycled materials. Recycled plastics are used in the following parts of their vehicles: battery tray, carpets, heater and air conditioning housing, fan shroud, replacement bumpers, wheel arch liners, air cleaner assembly, roof

lining, instrument panel. You get the picture.

Each new Ford Escape uses 25 recycled 20-ounce plastic bottles in the carpeting.

And about 85 percent of materials used in new Fords are recyclable.

That doesn’t sound like just a fad.

The Ford Focus Electric has a range of about 100 miles per charge. And you can drive it past a pre-school or senior center without worrying that someone will get an asthma attack as a result.

Growth of electric vehicles faces some huge bumps in the road. Vehicle charging stations are starting to pop up around the South Bay and other metro areas but they are not plentiful enough for widespread public use.

And charging takes a lot longer – hours in fact – than just filling up with gas at the corner station.

But at least the auto industry is moving in the right direction, thanks mostly to consumer demand and government regulations demanding lower emissions.

As I drove the Ford Focus Electric onto the freeway, the pick-up was great. Electric vehicles have much better acceleration at lower speeds than internal-combustion vehicles.

It was a smooth ride and I hated to return it.

After the drive, I thought the Chicago song was ironic. The lyrics lament how people are fixated on time and getting somewhere quickly.

However, I’m grateful that automobile companies are increasingly fixated on electric and other green technologies and moving quickly in that direction.

Follow Muhammed El-Hasan on Twitter at http://twitter.com/dailybreezebiz