Published May 10, 2012
By Philippe Crowe
The 26th International Electric Vehicle Symposium came to an end yesterday. The conference, which was held in Los Angeles, once again brought all aspects of the industry together harmoniously to discuss how to develop sustainable transportation for the future.
The following are interesting quotes pulled from the event:
• Mac Heller, CODA Holdings Executive Chairman, on why Los Angeles understands why EVs matter:
“In the 1940’s, the smog here was so thick that often times, LA drivers had to pull over and wait for it to lift, and flights had to be diverted from LAX. We only discovered car exhaust was the culprit when Caltech chemistry professor Arie Haagen-Smit began studying it in the 50’s. I’m pleased to say that CODA vehicles are now on the roadways in California, and we’re working hard to deploy more CODA cars. For more than a decade, Angelenos have led the world in the adoption of electric vehicles and, according to the Luskin Center at UCLA, 9 percent of cars sold here will be plug-ins by 2015. We look forward to being part of that share.”
• Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Mayor of the City of Los Angeles, on Los Angeles welcoming clean technology:
“LA has been known for innovation, and we want to be known for electric vehicles. I want to make Los Angeles the cleanest greenest big city in America.”
• Brian Wynne, Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA) President, on how EVs are good for the US economy:
“Every time the cost of a barrel of oil is increased by $10, it costs the US economy $75 million.”
• Forrest Beanum, CODA Holdings SVP of Government Relations & External Affairs, on how the cost of fuel is affecting the bigger picture:
“Eighty million dollars is spent in California in one day, and $1 billion is spent on fuel nationwide, just in one day.”
• David Sandalow, Department of Energy Assistant Secretary for Policy & International Affairs, proposed adoption of new acronyms for electric vehicles:
“That the EV industry should start using AEV (All-Electric Vehicles) instead of BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) when describing pure plug-in electric vehicles. His reason is that the BEV acronym is too general and confusing, as HEV and PEV options use batteries as well.”
