The Electric Vehicle Project--EV Project!

The Department of Energy issued a Funding Opportunity Agreement (FOA) in order to issue the ARRA (America Recovery Reinvestment Act) $99.8 million dollars to speed up the decisions relating to the deployment of the ALL electric vehicles.  These funds were matched by $100 million from private industry and other public bodies. Early August 2009 it was announced that Oregon was included as one of the 5 selected test states. The other 4 are Washington, California, Arizona and of course Tennessee! Hmmmm. Now out of all the cities in the United States, little 'ole Corvallis is included as one of the 11 cities participating in the EV Project. Oregon has 4 of the 11 designated cities. That's right folks, 4. Portland, Salem, Corvallis and Eugene are involved in the EV Project. We have an opportunity to be lab rats! How many know about it? I sure didn't. I also didn't realize the potential opportunities possible if we start working toward them. Nissan North America is the chosen vehicle manufacturer to provide the test vehicles. They reportedly will arrive on the market by the fall of 2010! The car is the LEAF. Wonder how many will be allocated to Corvallis and how the allocation will be established. I wonder if pre-sales could influence the decision. I wonder if Jack Scoville Ltd. could use some help in establishing a stronger allocation position or if they will even be on the allocation.

We have a city project coordinator in the Public Works Department, Jim Mitchell who has been involved in 3 meetings as things firm up. I had lunch with Jim today and we shared our common thoughts and concerns. There are at least a half dozen very interested folks that I know of that are working on some aspect of electric vehicles as part of their business format. It seems that Corvallis has the potential to add to the EV Project in a way that accomplishes the effective use of the project dollars but only if we identify the stateholders now and start our collaborative efforts. Right now it is a top-down push system from the winner of the FOA and we will just be told what to do, how to do it and when to do it. Somehow I believe we get better results when we are involved in the decision making process, plan for the future and leverage our combined strengths.  I am wondering if this EV Project fits within the Corvallis Sustainability coalition's charter and focus or it fits better within the Prosperity That Fits goals or perhaps another home within the Region. What do some of you other innovators think?