[Oeva-list] Legislative proposals

[Theoldcars at aol.com]

Philip
 
I read all of your proposal below. I agree there is a huge problem with  lack 
of quality control from China manufacturers. The answer is already  here and 
there is no need to import.
 
Why not just recycle all the failing ICE vehicles into EVs. Then you do not  
have to contend with trying to change the existing Federal laws limiting  
speeds on NEV's. You also would have vehicles that have been crash tested and  
already built with safety features. 
 
This would have many positive ramifications you brought up plus using an  
existing resource that is currently being wasted.. 
 
There are so many extra ICE vehicles not being used. You  can search 
Craigslist and find what seems to be an endless amount. It  is really astounding if 
you start counting how many are sitting in driveways or  yards. You can see they 
obviously have not been moved in months. Many of these  vehicles have 
expensive  ICE related repairs that the  owners do not want to invest their money in.
 
The 240 volt plug that is coming soon would open the door for a world of  
change.  Employing people here would help our economy and reduce the miles  
driven by ICE vehicles. 
 
As the demand increases the cost for the parts would go down.  Quality of the 
conversions would rapidly escalate and prices would drop  even further. It 
would not take long before the popular vehicles for conversions  started being 
sold. I would not be surprised to see companies like Napa or  CarQuest selling 
Edelbrock EV conversion kits.
 
How could government help make this happen? Access to electric is an  
absolute must. Tax credits for conversions would help. Rebates from the energy  trust 
or lottery funds would go a long way as well. 
 
Don 
 
 
 
In a message dated 1/3/2009 9:04:07 A.M. Pacific Standard Time,  
oeva-list-request at oeva.org writes:

Message:  3
Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2009 08:43:56 -0800 (PST)
From: Tim Kutscha  <tim_kutscha at yahoo.com>
Subject: [Oeva-list] Fw: Legislative  proposals sent to Rep Riley re
EVs
To:  oeva-list at oeva.org
Cc: pkollas at comcast.net
Message-ID:  <128755.27475.qm at web110509.mail.gq1.yahoo.com>
Content-Type:  text/plain; charset="windows-1252"

Hi All,

Here's an  e-mail I received from Philip Kollas regarding some of the 
legislative  proposals that he made for the 2009 session.  If you have any thoughts 
or  feedback for Philip, please contact him at  pkollas at comcast.net.

Cheers,
Tim
OEVA Chair



-----  Forwarded Message ----
From: Philip Kollas  <pkollas at comcast.net>
Sent: Monday, December 29, 2008 8:24:12  PM
Subject: Legislative proposals sent to Rep Riley re  EVs

Legislative proposals sent to Rep Riley re EVs Hi again,  Tim,

We talked a couple of times by e-mail in early August re the OEVA  and some 
upcoming events where we would be showing our EVs.  So, I wanted  to send you 
my proposals for the 2009 legislative session and see what you  (and any other 
OEVA folks) thought.  I?d be happy to hear from  you.

Below is the text of what I have today sent to my rep in the  Oregon House, 
Chuck Riley; I?ve talked with him in person in the past and have  found him to 
be willing to listen and help on other matters.

Happy New  Year,
Philip Kollas (Hillsboro ZAP  driver)
============================


Hello again, Rep.  Riley,

Congratulations on your win in the legislative race last month;  I?m sure 
you?re eager to get on with the business of state government  again.

Introduction and Proposals

Although some would wring  their hands in this economic environment, I see an 
opportunity to re-make our  way of doing things in Oregon, for both the 
short-term and the long-term  good.  We can turn the economic downturn to our 
advantage while vastly  improving our environmental standing as a green and 
innovative state.   And it?s all in keeping with Governor Kulongoski?s overall plan 
to bring  electric vehicles (EVs) to Oregon in a big way.Here are my two  
proposals:


1. Add the final crucial ingredient to the  governor?s plan for building and 
selling EVs in Oregon:  design them  here, so that the quality is 
unquestionable from start to finish.    This will be crucial, as you will see from the 
information below. 
2. Eliminate the arbitrary speed limit for four-wheeled EVs (currently  30 
mph, I believe), so that the average car buyer is willing to consider an EV  in 
any future purchase.

Background

Based in part on  environmental concerns and in part on the price of gas, 
last spring I  researched the available EVs in this country and quickly narrowed 
down the  list to two, one of which was out of sight for price ($36,000).  
That  left exactly one affordable type (about $13,000 new), offered by a 
California  company that imports a Chinese-built EV.  Note that this import is a  
three-wheeler, technically a three-wheeled motorcycle, so as to avoid the  30-mph 
speed limit artificially imposed in Oregon on four-wheeled EVs.   Since the 
top speed listed in my owner?s manual is 40 mph, having a  three-wheeler allows 
a theoretical one-third faster trip than does any  four-wheeled EV.  This was 
important in my purchase decision.

I  made arrangements with my employer, which is roughly 18 miles away by back 
 roads, to recharge my EV on their dime while I?m at work, thus allowing me 
to  have a fully charged battery pack when I head home in the middle of the 
night  (I work swing shift).  So far, so good.

This worked fine until the  battery pack started pooping out about five miles 
shy of my work site,  requiring me to recharge for 30-45 minutes somewhere 
along the way?and show up  late for work.  Not good.  Numerous calls and visits 
to the Portland  dealer (with whom I have no complaint) disclosed that the 
onboard charger did  not receive, from the manufacturer, the correct algorithm 
(think of software  that tells the charger how long and how deep to charge the 
batteries) for this  particular brand of batteries.  My EV wound up at the 
shop, getting new  algorithm after new algorithm from the manufacturer, for more 
than five weeks  this past autumn.

In addition, the windshield turns out to flare badly  whenever the sun 
strikes it at low sun angles, such as in the late  afternoon.  The dealer admitted 
that the quality of the glass supplied by  the manufacturer was low.  This 
creates an unsafe situation during  certain hours, but the manufacturer?s warranty 
does not cover such windshield  replacement.

Rationale for the Proposals

Why do I mention these  problems?  The quality of the Chinese import is just 
too low to be a  serious contender for American consumers.  No one in his 
right mind would  knowingly buy a rig with these defects, which were more design 
flaws than  construction flaws.  Had U.S. individuals designed the rig, these 
flaws  would not have been allowed (sorry, but we all know by now the problem 
with  Chinese quality control:  it?s nonexistent).

If we control both  the design and the construction of EVs here in the 
Northwest, we can guarantee  a good product.  If we merely import Chinese-built EVs 
for the US market,  we will quickly have no new EV drivers . . . and gasoline 
usage (and  pollutants) will continue at present levels.  This is not good for 
 consumers, the environment, or the economy.  My understanding is that  
Governor Kulongoski?s plan is to import some Chinese EVs and to build certain  
Nissan EVs in Oregon.

My proposal is that we both design and build EVs  in Oregon, and that we 
eliminate the needless speed restriction that will  otherwise kill any effort at  
selling four-wheeled EVs.  This will  allow a quality product and a favorable 
environment for the use of the new  ?green? vehicles that the governor wants 
to see in Oregon.  EV speeds are  already inherently limited by the battery 
pack and electric motor used in each  type.  Most models I know of can hit only 
about 40 mph on the level  anyway; they don?t need an arbitrary speed limit 
below that.  Consumers  will not buy an electric vehicle, no matter how clean its 
energy source, if it  can?t get them where they want to go in a reasonable 
time.

Summary;  Specific Legislative Requests

In your role as vice-chair of the  Workforce and Economic Development 
Committee, would you please introduce  legislation to achieve the two proposals 
listed above (add vehicle design to  the current push for building green cars; 
delete the 30-mph arbitrary speed  limit for four-wheeled EVs).   I?m not sure how 
the bill for the  first proposal should read; I will leave that to your 
discretion.  The  second proposal should need only a bill eliminating the current 
speed limit  specifically levied on four-wheeled EVs.  

I thank you for your  time and consideration of these two matters.  If you 
have any questions  or comments, do not hesitate to contact me.  I would be 
willing to  testify regarding the proposed legislation at any hearings.

With  respect and best wishes for the new year,

Philip Kollas
1179 SE Fir  Grove Lp
Hillsboro OR  97123-8806

Home 503-681-2181 

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