New York's Public Power Systems Ally to Promote Electric Vehicles

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Stephen Shoenholz
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August 28, 2002

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.—The New York Power Authority (NYPA) and the Municipal Electric Utilities Association of New York State (MEUA), whose members serve 500,000 New York electricity consumers, Wednesday announced a cooperative effort to promote the use of electric vehicles in New York State.

“It is especially fitting that the public power systems of the Empire State are uniting in an effort to promote environmentally beneficial transportation choices for the citizens of New York,” said Eugene W. Zeltmann, president and chief executive officer of the Power Authority.

“The municipal electric systems and rural electric cooperatives of New York State are served by hydroelectricity from the New York Power Authority. By using that clean, renewable power to fuel emission-free electric vehicles, New York’s public power communities will showcase their commitment to environmental quality,” Zeltmann said in remarks Wednesday to the MEUA Annual Conference in Saratoga Springs.

“Electric vehicles can help address concerns about air and noise pollution, as well as work to reduce our nation’s dependence on imported fuel sources,” said Karl Lux, president of the MEUA, which represents 46 municipal electric communities and four rural electric cooperatives in New York State. “This electric vehicle initiative is another good example of MEUA and NYPA working together to serve our customers.

“Our local public power systems hope to demonstrate the practical day-to-day use of electric vehicles. We also plan to make EVs available to schools for educational purposes and to community groups to raise public awareness of the benefits of electric vehicles,” Lux said.

Following his remarks, Zeltmann presented the keys to a Toyota Prius, a hybrid-electric vehicle, to Robert Mullane, the MEUA’s executive director.  The vehicle, which NYPA is lending to the MEUA for one year for business purposes, uses a combination of gasoline and electric motors to increase gas mileage and reduce tailpipe emissions.

A “Ride and Drive” exhibition of electric vehicles at the MEUA Annual Conference kicked off the new effort.  In addition to a Prius, vehicles made available for test drives by mayors and other municipal electric system officials attending the conference included:

• Ford’s TH!NK city, an all-electric vehicle that NYPA is now deploying in its “Clean Commute” station car project in Metropolitan New York;

• Toyota’s RAV4-EV, an all-electric SUV;

• Ford’s EV Ranger, an all-electric pick-up truck;

• Ford’s TH!NK Neighbor, an open-air, low-speed EV;

• John Deere’s Gator EV, an all-electric utility vehicle;

• Electric bicycles and scooters.

“Under the leadership of Governor George E. Pataki, New York State has become a pacesetter in electric transportation,” Zeltmann said.

New York State’s efforts to promote electric and other clean-fueled vehicles include rigorous vehicle emission standards, tax incentives and Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Act funding for EVs and other clean-fueled vehicles in mass transit and government fleets. In 2001, Governor Pataki issued an Executive Order requiring that all new light-duty state vehicles be alternative-fueled vehicles by 2010 with the exception of  specialty, police or emergency vehicles. This summer, the state legislature approved legislation proposed by Governor Pataki to enhance tax incentives for the purchase of hybrid-electric vehicles.

The New York Power Authority is the nation’s largest supplier of electricity for mass transit, powering the subway and commuter trains of metropolitan New York. NYPA has put into service some 350 EVs of various sizes and purposes around the state for use by its customers as well as at its own facilities. In 2000, these vehicles passed the million-mile mark for combined electric-vehicle mileage, making NYPA the first utility in the Northeast to achieve this milestone.

NYPA’s electric transportation projects include station/commuter cars, hybrid-electric transit buses, all-electric school buses and shuttle buses, small urban electric vehicles and electric delivery vans and trucks. In addition to its EV initiatives, NYPA is working on a number of other projects to promote clean transportation technologies, including pollution control devices on New York City school buses and electric technology to curb emissions from idling trucks.