First Name | Chris |
---|---|
Last Name | Abarca |
Email Address | cabarca@azuredynamics.com |
Affiliation | Director of Sales |
Subject | Ford Transit Connect Electric |
Comment | Dear ARB, Azure Dynamics is pleased to offer the Transit Connect Electric commercial vehicle with our partner Ford Motor Co. to the California Fleet market. The Transit Connect Electric is focused on the commercial fleet business and has a 1000lb. payload capability. It is ideal for fleets large and small with a need for urban or neighborhood radius based delivery. Range is 60-80 miles per charge depending upon payload and terrain. It has a top speed of 75 so highway driving is not an issue and best of all it is zero emission technology. We have been demonstrating the vehicle to fleets like FedEx, UPS, Frito Lay, Service Master, Hertz, LADWP,UC Campuses, PG&E, Enterprise, and Apria with very limited success. The Transit Connect Electric has been incentivized via the CVRP program at $4000 level along with Nissan Leaf as the other EV within the program. We believe since the Transit Connect BEV is focused on the commercial market it should not be included in the CVRP which is primarily a consumer based personal use program. For the Transit Connect Electric, the CVRP level has not been sufficient for fleets to adopt EV technology. We believe that the Transit Connect BEV needs to be placed in the HVIP program with an incentive at the $15,000 level such as an 8501lb.-10,000lb. GVWR commercial zero emission vehicles would be currently. Additionally some fleets are not able to take advantage of the $7,500 Federal EV Tax credit due to a very low tax liability or being a public fleet. Also many leasing companies do not have an appetite for the EV tax credit due to how their company is structured. This leaves the CVRP program to incent the commercial vehicle marketplace and it has not been enough to attract the volumes we thought would happen. We wanted to allow enough time to see if the CVRP program would be enough and with many customer demonstrations and conversations we have learned it is not. In summary, if we can ask the ARB to consider moving the Transit Connect Electric from the CVRP program to the HVIP program and use the $15,000 zero emission vehicle level, change the 8501-10,000 lb GVW to include the Ford Transit Connect with a 5,000 lb GVWR we will be able to displace many ½ ton, ¾ ton vans and pick-up with all electric Transit Connects. Thank you! Regards, Chris Abarca Director of Sales Azure Dynamics |
Attachment | www.arb.ca.gov/lists/aqip11/2-spc500908-a_transitconnectelectric_herocard_azd.pdf |
Original File Name | SPC500908-A_TransitConnectElectric_HeroCard_AZD.pdf |
Date and Time Comment Was Submitted | 2011-06-27 17:04:33 |
If you have any questions or comments please contact Clerk of the Board at (916) 322-5594.