London Congestion Charge - Vancouver And Canadian Cities Next?

Citizens in London are paying four pounds ($6.00 Canadian Dollars) a day to have the privilege of driving in downtown London and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is considering a similar charge for drivers to motor about Manhattan.

The London congestion charge is a fee for motorists traveling within the Congestion Charge Zone (CCZ), a traffic area in London. The charge aims to reduce congestion, and raise investment funds for London's transport system. The zone was introduced in Central London on 17 February 2003, and extended into parts of West London on 19 February 2007. Though not the first scheme of its kind in the United Kingdom, it was the largest when introduced, and it remains one of the largest in the world. Several cities around the world have referenced London's congestion charge when considering their own schemes.

A payment is required each day for each vehicle which travels within the zone between 7am and 6pm (Monday-Friday only); a fine of between £60 and £180 is levied for non-payment. Transport for London (TfL) administers the charge; Capita Group operated it under contract until 31 October 2009, IBM took over on 1 November 2009. The system is mostly run on an automatic basis using Automatic Number Plate Recognition.

Lang Motors 'the electric car company' To Audition @ CBC Dragon's Den

For a fourth year in a row Lang Motors will audition to CBC Dragon's Den television show. The audition will take place in Vancouver on February 19, 2011.

"Dragons' Den Application; Thank you! - Your application has been received successfully. Good luck!"

About the CBC Dragon's Den television show: Launching a business is no small task. No matter how big an idea you think you have, it still takes a lot of work and a ton of cash. Enter the Dragons' Den, where aspiring entrepreneurs pitch their business concepts and products to a panel of Canadian business moguls who have the cash and the know-how make it happen. They've all been there themselves, so you better not walk into the Den unprepared. It takes more than passion to convince these boardroom giants that your idea is worth their attention. The Dragons are ruthless and rightly so - it's their own personal money on the line.

http://www.cbc.ca/dragonsden/

Vancouver and Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEV)

As a pedestrian friendly community, Vancouver supports alternatives to traditional motor vehicle use for getting around the city. One of these options includes the use of Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEV). NEVs are electrically powered, light vehicles, and are street legal on roads with a limit of 50 km/h or below. NEVs require a license plate and Provincial registration just like a car and have the basic lights, mirrors, seat belts, and horn that a car would have. They can be driven on any of the public streets of Vancouver.

As electric vehicles, NEVs are operated by a bank of batteries carried on board. To recharge, they plug into a standard household 110-volt outlet and with that should be able to carry you around town for all of your daily needs without having to be recharged until you get home at the end of the day. With a top speed of 40 km/h and options available to include additional cargo storage, these vehicles provide a viable alternative for in town driving needs throughout the year. The electric powertrain means that the usual maintenance of traditional motor vehicles, such as oil changes, adding coolant to prevent overheating, adjusting spark plugs, etc. aren’t needed.

Perhaps the most popular NEV is the GEM line introduced by Chrysler. Customers around the world are discovering how affordable and cost-effective it is to own and operate a GEM battery-electric vehicle. It cost $50 of electricity to travel 5000 kilometers with a GEM.

Being officially recognized and given access to public roads is instrumental to the success of a new transport mode. The Global Electric Motorcars (GEM) is a market leader of NEVs, based in Fargo, North Dakota.

The most feasible short-term goal is to build EVs for fixed-distance operation, as from A-to-A or A-to-B-to-A, for predictable travels would allow carrying minimal battery mass, a key variable to longer-distance travel. For the reason that the average car sits parked 23 hours a day, the future of transportation should be focused on the quick jaunts that make up most of our day-to-day driving.

The NEVs offers people a new way to drive. The all-electric NEV cars will not only change the way that you drive, but the way you live. These cars give you a way to further connect to the green lifestyle, and really gives you an opportunity to be an example for other people.

Canada’s 20 Most Important Factors - When Considering Making a Car Purchase

Canada’s 20 Most Important Factors - When Considering Making a Car Purchase

Greenness isn't a primary purchase factor. Environmentalism doesn't really matter that much to Canadian car buyers.

When all is said and done...more gets said than done!

While people talk a good tale about their environmental consciousness, it is their wallet that rules their decisions. Simply stated, people do not want to pay extra to be kind to the environment.

People are not revising their vehicle choices on the basis of environmental benefit. They are doing so because of the sudden and dramatic increase in the price of gasoline. And they are doing so more on an emotional basis than on any considered analysis.

Consequently, the increase in gasoline price has accomplished what the Canadian Federal Government's ecoAuto green rebate program failed to do - it has changed consumers' buying behavior.

1 - Reliability / Dependability

2 - Exterior Styling

3 - Price / Cost to Buy

4 - Interior Comfort

5 - Value for the Money

6 - Fun to Drive

7 - Manufacturer’s Reputation

8 - Quality of Workmanship

9 - Engine Performance

10 - Road-holding / Handling

11 - Fuel Economy

12 - Storage & Cargo Capacity

13 - Ride Quality on Highway

14 - Durability / Long Lasting

15 - Safety Features

16 - Future Trade-In / Resale

17 - Length of Warranty

18 - Rebate / Incentive

19 - Discount / Value Package

20 - Environmentally Friendly

Lang Motors - the electric car company (Survey Results)

LANG MOTORS LTD. – the electric car company

SURVEY RESULTS (May 2006 – September 2007)

The results of the Lang Motors Electric Vehicle Survey have been tallied, and here they are for your information. Over 3000 people (random drivers) around Metro Vancouver were directly invited to participate. More then 25% (755) have submitted their survey.

On a side note over 13,000 people around the globe submitted their survey (so far).

The answer that received the most responses is listed in italics, and the actual number of responses from 755 Metro Vancouver drivers’ surveys is listed in parenthesis:

1 -Do you currently own an Electric Vehicle?

Yes: 7% (*53) - *all Hybrid owners
No: 93% (702)

*some hybrid owners had the perception of owning an electric car

2 - Do you want to buy an Electric Vehicle?

- Yes: 76% (574)
- No: 24% (181)

3 - If an Electric Vehicle were available, would you buy one in the next?

- 6 months: 12% (91)
- 1-3 years: 56% (423)
- More than 3 years: 32% (241)

4 - What size of Electric Vehicle are you most interested in?

- Car – 2 passengers: 37% (279)
- Car / Van / Station Wagon: 4 to 5 passengers: 53% (400)
- Small Pickup / Utility Van: 10% (76)

5 - How much are you willing to spend to purchase a working Electric Vehicle?

- $15,000: 21% (159)
- $20,000: 28% (211)
- $30,000: 45% (340)
- $40,000: 3% (23)
- $50,000: 2% (15)
- $60,000: 0% (0)
- $70,000 or more: 1% (7)

6 - What would be the minimum range you would need on a daily basis?

- 20 to 50 km: 43% (325)
- 51 to 100 km: 29% (219)
- More tan 100 km: 28% (211)

7 - Do you make daily commute over Vancouver’s inner-city bridges? (Loins Gate, Burrard, Granville and Cambie)

- Yes: 89% (672)
- No: 11% (83)

8 - Would a Neighbourhood Electric Vehicle (NEV) (40 km/h max top speed) meet your needs?

- Yes: 34% (256)
- No: 66% (499)

9 - Do you have any interest in the following non-gasoline fuelled vehicles?

- Bio-Diesel: Yes 57% (430) – No 32% (242)
- Ethanol: Yes 55% (415) – No 32% (242)
- Compressed Natural Gas (CNG): Yes 33% (249) – No 49% (370)

10 - Why have you not bought an EV?

Lang Motors became a student of listening with thousands of comments, and objections. It gave us a great deal of satisfaction to be allowed to handle the received objections, and meet good contacts around the globe.