08
Feb

How Do I Drive My Plug-In Car? New Videos Show How

Driving an electric car is empowering – both literally and figuratively. No longer are you confined to gas stations for energy – suddenly, any home or business can be considered a possible energy source (depending on how long you would like to charge and how). Two new videos have come out that show you just how easy and convenient driving a plug-in vehicle can be.

The first is put out by GM for the upcoming release of the Chevy Volt. While the video itself is fairly basic in its presentation, I believe it is a good way to introduce how the Volt works for those who are not familiar with its design. To commercialize a new technology like a plug-in vehicle requires some educational marketing. This video does a decent job of that, but it’s not the kind of empowering message I think could have been communicated.

What’s interesting about this video, however, is that it appears to present the Volt as a preferred alternative to an all-electric vehicle. The narrator mentions the “extended-range” mode frequently as a way to drive “with peace of mind.” The tagline, “The Chevrolet Volt: A Better Electric Vehicle,” denotes that other electric cars have range shortcomings that may compromise driver expectations.

The other video worth mentioning is put out by The EV Project, which is the umbrella organization for the nationwide deployment of the Nissan Leaf. The video focuses on the software communication portal that drivers use for finding info on the charge status of the car, scheduling charging at home or office, and locating charging stations. The music is upbeat and the animation is well-done. The video is a little lengthy, but it does communicate to the viewer that charging can be done relatively simply and conveniently.

It’s a good idea to present this information to potential plug-in drivers in advance of this year’s release of the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf. However, as far as marketing goes, I believe both videos can communicate this info in a more compelling way. If done right, such videos can really galvanize the public imagination for future mobility in a way no other kind of car can.

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05
Feb

Are We Ready for a New Kind of Gas Tax?

Slide from Basso Presention: DC Auto Show

On Public Policy Day at the D.C. Auto Show this year, we got wind of some dire news. The Federal Highway Trust Fund is slowly depleting because gas taxes have not been raised in 17 years. While the federal gas tax has remained constant, the spending power of the 18 cents a gallon used for transportation improvements has decreased due to inflation.

Raising gas taxes is, as we know, akin to political suicide. However, the country is is need of a serious transportation infrastructure facelift. Are we ready for a new kind of gas tax?

This is the question posed by Jack Basso, from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. In his presentation, he mentioned that the U.S. is currently investing only about 40% of what the country should be spending on improvements to our transportation system. To be able to accommodate the mobility demands of the public, he states that we would need a total $545 billion investment over the next five years.

So, what is the solution? Basso states that there are policy considerations for a Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) tax. No specific details were given, but Basso did note that there are a few advantages for a VMT tax over a standard gas tax. One, it avoids the gas tax political impasse (though this could spark its own political controversy). Second, it provides a way for the government to collect funds from vehicles that rely on other sources of energy (like plug-in vehicles).

Of course, there will also be some issues that will need to be figured out for a VMT tax to be implemented. Will the tax be per vehicle or per driver? How often will VMT be computed? How will it be verified? And, the most striking question of all, what price will the VMT tax be set?

While those of us in the green car scene may have hoped that using less petroleum translates into fewer taxes, the VMT tax would most likely treat all vehicles the same. Perhaps this is only fair, since miles driven is a better approximate of the use of the highway system over gallons of gasoline consumed. It also begins to settle some early fears that the use of plug-in vehicles (such as the Nissan Leaf or Chevy Volt) may lead to less funding for highway improvements.

This policy conversation is just starting and I suspect that it could get heated fairly quickly. It also has me wondering about other policy alternatives for transportation funding.

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02
Feb

Obama Calls for End of Oil Subsidies in 2011

Sun Sets for Oil Subsidies?

In Obama’s 2011 FY budget proposal sent to Congress yesterday, the administration calls for eliminating more than $2.7 billion in tax subsidies for oil, coal and gas industries. As a result, more than $38.8 billion dollars in tax revenue could be generated for the federal government over the course of the next ten years.

The budget proposal also cuts funding provided through the Department of Energy for expensive petroleum exploration, including the Ultra-Deepwater exploration program (saving $50 million) and expansion of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (saving $71 million).

With this proposal, Obama is sending a loud and clear message that the nation is moving towards a clean energy future. Overall, the budget provides over $28 billion for the DOE in 2011, a 7% increase over this year’s budget estimates. Much of this increase is for the support of renewable energy generation and advanced vehicle technologies.

For advanced vehicle technology funding, this recent increase culminates in a three-year trend. In 2009, $267 million was appropriated through the DOE for clean car research and technology deployment. In 2010, that number increased to $312 million. In the proposed 2011 budget, $325 million is earmarked for these activities.

Of course, $325 million for clean cars appears like a drop in the bucket compared to the billions in federal subsidies for the petroleum industry. Time will tell if these inclusions remain in the budget. In 2008, Congressional House Speaker Nancy Pelosi led a bill with similar provisions that passed in the U.S. House of Representatives, but failed in the U.S. Senate.

Given the economic climate of the country, giving away money to corporations that rank amongst the most profitable in the world is a testament to the continued power of the old energy paradigm. I hope that this time our elected officials have enough conviction to make the right choice.

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01
Feb

Is Audi Serious? Green Police Ad Falls Flat

Audi is planning a new social media campaign for its line of clean diesel vehicles that features a fictitious law enforcement agency called the Green Police. In it, a “Green Police” officer speaks pseudo-seriously about napkin use when eating lunch. After his mini-diatribe, the ad says, “Sponsored by Audi.”

I am not really sure what potential Audi consumers are supposed to get from this ad. There is no mention of looking good in a slick, clean machine, saving money at the pump, or even getting decent resale value from an Audi. Nothing in this ad speaks to stylistic legacy of Audi or testifies to the advanced technology that powers the next generation of diesel vehicles. In fact, the ad seemed completely unrelated to anything that Audi has stood for in the past or what it could stand for in the future.

This recent ad campaign makes me think that automakers are not really sure how to use the social media space. It is extremely important for automakers to understand that advertising in the social media space does not mean making a fool of yourself by creating YouTube-like parodies. If you are going to venture into that space, at least create a message that is (1) actually funny and (2) incorporates something about the value of your product into the action.

It is also important to do a little more homework before using terms like “Green Police” in your advertising. Some sources have stated that the term “Green Police” used to refer to a group affiliated with Nazi persecution.

Let’s hope that Audi doesn’t continue with this campaign and is able to get its green marketing strategy back on track.

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29
Jan

Miss Electric: D.C. Auto Show Wrap-Up on EVCast

Miss Electric with Think City at DC Auto Show

The EDTA/DC Auto Show proved to be an inspiring event. Several plug-in vehicles slated for sale in the U.S. were on display, including the Think City featured in this photo.

We produced a live EVCast at the event, featuring myself, Bo Bennett, Ryan Levesque, and Sebastian Blanco of AutoBlogGreen. We discuss our interview with Former New York Governor George Pataki, as well as give our analysis of the conference proceedings. The podcast also includes interviews with Jon Azrielant,  Executive Director of Project EVIE, then with Brian Wynne, President of EDTA.

Click here to listen in!

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