IEEE Presents “Oregon Electric Vehicles: Prospects and Proofs”
Posted on January 18, 2013 by Stephanie Levine
Tags, Emerging Technologies
On Thursday January 10th, nearly 60 engineers, EV enthusiasts, and technology buffs met at the Portland Business Accelerator for a talk hosted by IEEE—the Institute for Electrical and Electronic Engineers. The talk, “Oregon Electric Vehicles: Prospects and Proofs,” included presentations from Drive Oregon’s Jeff Allen and Brammo’s Roger Gerson. Although the two presenters focused on very different topics of Oregon’s EV industry, the overarching message of the night was clear: the EV industry in Oregon is here to stay.
Mainstream coverage of EVs tends to focus most of its attention on electric cars designed as alternatives to internal combustion engine cars. This makes sense since this year’s top three selling EVs — the Nissan Leaf, the Chevy Volt, and the Toyota Prius Plug-in—are all four-door sedans similar to the cars most people use for their daily travel. Oregon is leading the country in adopting these types of vehicles, but the EV manufacturing taking place in the state represents a much more diverse and eclectic market. Small-scale Oregon manufacturers are putting together all kinds of EVs, from Conscious Commuter’s sleek electric assist bicycles, to RYNO Motor’s one wheeled electric scooter, and even Arcimoto’s enclosed frame tandem motorcycle.
To the average consumer these EVs might seem extravagant. Conscious commuter’s Model Ue folding bike runs for $2,495 and Arcimoto’s target price for their motorcycle is $17,500. Jeff Allen acknowledged that these prices will be out of range for many consumers. It was in admitting these vehicles’ niche appeal that Jeff was able to make one of his most salient points of the night. Economically, it is good for the state to have these EV manufacturers, but it is exponentially more advantageous if the businesses are purchasing the materials to build their products from other local businesses. If these local companies were planning on producing hundreds of thousands of vehicles, they likely wouldn’t be located in Oregon. Thus, by filling these niche markets and keeping production relatively low, Oregon benefits because companies are able to keep their supply chain local.
Jeff went on to cite a study by David Roland-Holst at UC Berkeley, which I was able to find here. The study finds that every dollar saved at the gas pump and spent instead on goods and services creates 16 times more jobs by adding revenue to state income, employment and real wages. The study goes on to emphatically conclude that individuals benefit from the fuel costs savings of switching to electrification, whether or not they own an EV themselves. The study is specific to California’s economy, but still proves an important point about investing and supporting a transportation sector that is fueled by electricity and other clean domestic fuels. Decreasing the money we send to foreign and out-of-state companies has tangible effects, and mostly on low-income wage earners.
It is useful to think about the industry in this holistic way, especially since so much media attention focuses on the high sticker price of the EVs currently on the market. Even though these vehicles are certainly not accessible to everyone doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t invest in them now. For this reason (and others, which are outlined on our EV webpage) here at CUB we will continue to engage in policy discussions that makes sure we are able to maximize the benefits EVs provide.
A big thanks to IEEE for hosting an informative night on EVs in Oregon.
To keep up with CUB, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!
05/01/17 | 0 Comments | IEEE Presents “Oregon Electric Vehicles: Prospects and Proofs”