Medium-Speed Electric Vehicles

I am trying to get a bill sponsored to allow a new type of electric vehicle, a medium speed electric vehicle. A medium speed electric vehicle is similar to the low speed electric vehicle already allowed by federal law except they can go between 30 and 35 MPH and can travel on roads with speed limits posted 45 MPH and lower.

I feel that this vehicle would provide an exceptional alternate mode of transportation for many people, especially senior citizens living in urban areas. With the current high gas prices and more increase to come we all need relief; I felt this was a good option. It's also an eco friendly choice. I am trying to reach out to gain support having others contact their representatives about this issue.

Please note that I am not a lobbyist nor do I have a vested interest in the electric vehicle industry. I am just a private citizen trying to make a difference.

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Permalink Reply by Karl Dickey on July 20, 2008 at 8:46am: Hi Bill,

Have you presented the bill to any Florida legislators? If not, I can help with that.

Let me know,
Karl; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Bill Hinegardner on July 20, 2008 at 9:16am

I have sent it to my local representative (no response) and to about half the representatives in the state. Most of the responses I received were that I should contact my local representative. I also sent a copy to the Governor's office. In addition, I have sent information to different environmental groups that I could find addresses for.

Any help that you could provide would be great. I have uploaded a copy of the draft bill I wrote for Florida.

Attachments:

320.doc, 28 KB

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Permalink Reply by Nancy Parker on February 14, 2009 at 4:19am: I have also spent a fortune in postage sending letters to Representatives (which should be called politicians because I do not feel that they are trying to represent). I always get the same response that Bill H. has been getting. Sad; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by SJC on July 20, 2008 at 11:20am: Canyon Lake here in Riverside County California is home to a super golf cart fad. Many well to do home owners spend $10,000 or more customizing golf carts that are certified to be driven on the road and many of them can go 45 mph. There is a competition on who can have the cart that performs the best. It is interesting how people spend their money when they have a lot to spend.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Bill Hinegardner on July 20, 2008 at 2:44pm: I find that interesting about the Canyon Lake area. Do they have local laws that allow them to run at that speed. Under the current NEV laws they are restricted to 20-25MPH and can only travel on roads rated at 35MPH and lower. So unless there is a local law to allow them to travel on the surface streets at that speed than they are in viloation of CA law.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by SJC on July 20, 2008 at 5:21pm: I have no idea and I don't think the people there really care. They will go as fast as they want and no one will give a darn because most everyone does it. Good luck on the legislation. I would say that unless there is something in there for someone important, you might face an uphill battle.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by DubleDeuce on July 20, 2008 at 10:30pm: Not to be TOO sarcastic here but didn't I see one of your converted vehicles on the road this morning as I was going by the church as it was letting out? There was NOTHING small about it (in fact it looked like a Buick Lucerne) but the speed was right their with your proposal of 30 and 35 mph.

We have some 3 vehicles for each man women and child in this country. We are in a discussion of WHAT fuel source to use to power them and you want to propose a COMPLETELY new road infrastructure (golf carts and bridle paths) as a solution. Not swift.

We are a nation of 300 million people ON THE MOVE. That fact ain't gonna change and if it DOES change, we won't be having to worry abut where our fuel is coming from. We as a nation will be DEAD.

The current technology concerning the electrically powered car is coming along nicely. Let it have it's day in the sun (you MIGHT be interested to know that Clare Ford, wife of auto magnet, Henry Ford, actually DROVE a battery powered car and REFUSED to drive one of Henry's contraptions-too noisy, too dirty and too hard to start was her reasoning). The Tesla car at zero to 60 in some 3.5 secs will bode well for the speedo's among us and IF your proposal for a 30 mph bridle path ever comes to fruition it CAN be throttled down to accommodate the local constabulary. Meanwhile, how am I gonna keep my Hummer going?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Bill Hinegardner on July 21, 2008 at 5:36am: Larry,

Thanks for the comment. I am not suggesting a bridel path infrastructur be built. Current state and federal low-speed laws allow these vehicles be driven on any street with a speed limit of 35 MPH or lower. My suggestion is to have a vehicle that goes 35 MPH and can travel on streets posted 45 MPH or lower. Fives states have already passed medium-speed laws. I don't see medium-speed vehicles as a fix all. I see them as a bridge solution until new techology comes along. For example check out the following:
http://www.flytheroad.com/ and http://www.aptera.com; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by A. Glenn on July 21, 2008 at 7:46pm: Ya'll should rent the video "Who Killed The Electric Car" they could go 80mph and they were beautiful cars. GM built and then destroyed the EV1 now they are advertising their great new Chevy Volt . Mr Dickey how about where do we start with getting some of the electric cars already being made imported into the US, or at least get them to build some plants in the US, and make them more affordable.

Thanks,
AMG; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Bill Hinegardner on July 22, 2008 at 4:59am: What's really intersting about the "new" GM volt is that it isnt' new other than the battery technology. I read about same concept for a electric vehicle with an onboard fuel fired charging system over 10 years ago in Popular Science. I've seen who killed the electric car. It reminds me of who killed the street car in LA. LA had a great street car system, but a political deal was done with the tire companies to see more tires so the street cars were done away with in favor of buses.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by SJC on July 26, 2008 at 11:33pm: The medium speed category has merit. 45 mph is what most people do around town and it would cut down on some of the regulations for crashing at highway speeds. However, I think people want maximum use out of the car that they spend a lot of money on and an urban / suburban only car may not fit the bill.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by DubleDeuce on August 24, 2008 at 10:18pm: <<LA had a great street car system, but a political deal was done with the tire companies to see more tires so the street cars were done away with in favor of buses.>>

Gee, you would've thought that the steel and electrical lobby would get in there and defend THEIR interests. But only the tire lobby was vigilant enough to see the burgeoning market for 6,000 bus tires a year. 1000 busses and 6 tires per bus per year.

The FACT is, the cost to build out the infrastructure in steel and electrical power to all of the nooks and crannies of a rapidly expanding city, verses the utility and flexibility of a diesel powered bus, was a no brainer. Lack of money from the consumers pocket, not special interests, killed the electric street car.

The Deuceman; ▶ Reply to This