Buffalo Rising Online

Dec 16th 2008, 11:09am By queenseyes

With everyone talking about the auto bailout and the future roll to be played by car manufacturers, many people are beginning to look at local government's roll in the deal. Car manufacturers are looking for partners within city government that will make the transition to alternative energy easier. Some cities are answering the call by studying infrastructure in order to come up with plans that would allow residents the ability to make the transition a smooth one. There are still big fears when it comes to the prices and maintenance of owning an electric car. And what are the electric companies doing to ensure that the power is there when cities do lead the charge? From Tony Posawatz, vehicle line director of the Chevy Volt, in a recent CNET News article:

"We are looking at communities that exist that are willing to put all the pieces together," Posawatz said at the Electric Drive Transportation Association's Conference & Exposition earlier this month. "To me, the Volt is a remarkable product. But, if the other stuff--the communities, etc.--isn't there, then we run the risk of failing."

How does a community like Buffalo get out of the alternative transportation starting gate if no one is dedicating resources to answering these questions? It might behoove the Buffalo auto dealers to form some sort of a coalition to research the appropriate tactics needed to work with the electric company, The City and the citizens. In the end, it's going to be the car dealers who will be looking to capitalize on the sales, so why wouldn't the push start there? The CNET article gives a few different collaborative scenarios, including this one:

Nissan is considering a battery swapping program, something that start-up Better Place plans to set up in a number of countries, Hawaii, and the San Francisco Bay Area. The idea is to avoid the problem of a car's limited battery range by having a network of spots--they would resemble car washes--where drivers can swap fresh batteries in for depleted ones.

Once again, are we going to rely on the rest of the country to come up with the solutions, or are we going to utilize our own resources and talents to get these programs off the ground? If the cost is too high and the hassle is too much, then we can pretty much write off the surge in electric auto sales for years. It's going to take years just to get the electric car infrastructure in place. But don't we want to be in the forefront of this new wave as it is developing? Should The City be looking at ways to bolster Buffalo job growth by studying the issue more extensively? Who would be responsible for all of the different roles? Is Buffalo ready to implement a 'Geek Squad'? Continuing from the article:

"Building a "geek squad" to install 240-volt charging boxes at people's homes is one example of the services that will smooth thehttp://mt.buffalorising.com/mt.cgi?__mode=view&_type=entry&id=23080&blog_id=21&saved_added=1 way for electric cars, said GM's Posawatz. "There are a lot of opportunities and possibilities for different people in the value chain," he said."

Is there potential to finally utilize some of our vacant parking lots? Why not turn over some of the underused City-owned urban lots to progressive dealerships? Those lots could be used to showcase the cutting edge electric cars while offering drivers a place to charge up and/or exchange batteries. If the incentives are in place for people to move in a different direction, the transition will eventually take place. We're at a crucial intersection when it comes to relying so heavily on gas... what is in store for Buffalo when it comes to capitalizing on these efforts? Finally, from CNET:

The financial industry bailout bill (separate from the auto industry aid package that failed to pass Congress) helps clear the cost hurdle for plug-in electric cars. Depending on the size of the battery, consumers and businesses can get up to a $7,500 tax credit starting next year.

As the incentives start to roll in, we have to ask ourselves a question. "Do we take our turn, or do we wait for our turn?"

Thanks to Swannie Jim for the lead. Photo: Green Car Site