Tag Archives: electric vehicle
Possible Investigation Short Circuits Chicago’s Electric Vehicle Charging Station Program
EV charging station outside a West Loop Walgreens installed by 350Green
There was much fanfare back in early 2010, when Chicago signed a nearly $2 million deal to install 280 electric vehicle chargers around the city and surrounding areas.
Chicago and the State of Illinois kicked in $1.9 million (much of it federal stimulus money) for a project with 350Green, perhaps the nation’s most aggressive developer of EV charging station networks, to install a total of 280 charging stations. The total cost was pegged at $8.8 million, with 350Green finding private funds for the nearly $7 million to fully fund the project.
According to the 55 page city contract, all 280 charging stations were scheduled to be completed by the end of 2011. But now, six months after the original deadline, the project is only 60% complete, contractors have not been paid for work already completed and it seems the City of Chicago has stopped their payments to 350Green.
Even as far back in March of this year, while the company was touting the installation of new charging stations at Chicago area Illinois Tollway Oases, when questioned about the delay, 350Green public relations spokesperson at the time Nicole Fallat admitted the project was behind schedule but was confident it would be completed by the end of April.
Nissan Leaf Tour Hits Chicago This Weekend
The Nissan Leaf shows off at the 2011 Chicago Auto Show
Nissan’s new all electric vehicle,the Leaf, is on a cross-country promotional tour of the U.S. and has just rolled into Chicago.
The Nissan Leaf Drive Electric Tour has been on the road since early July bringing 14 of the gas-less vehicles to major American cities for interested drivers to test drive.
Chicago drivers get their chance to take a Leaf for a test spin this Friday, Saturday and Sunday and see for themselves how a car that never has to gas up performs on the streets of the Windy City.
The Leaf tour crew is based at the East Museum parking lot adjacent to Soldier Field and based on the response from previous tour dates, the Nissan people are expecting a solid turnout.
“We’re expecting a huge crowd,” says Charles Ostezan, Account Supervisor for GMR Marketing a firm helping coordinate the Leaf Tour event. “Whenever you put something exotic or new out, people get excited. No where else can you drive an electric car unless you own one already.”
