[ausev] Why are converted vehicles excluded from this list?

[Carey King]

Perhaps one of the AustinEV officers should pass any documents by Mark 
Kapner at Austin Energy first since he was at least tied to the group 
and may have some tactical advice or insight. He may just stay out of 
the discussion entirely out of necessity. I'll contact him if you'd 
like, but if one of the officers or older AustinEV members would like to 
contact him, that is fine with me. I can also talk to Fred Blood who is 
the City of Austin Sustainability Director/Coordinator as he might know 
how/why the rules are the way they are. This would give us a informed 
basis for writing any kind of formal letter.

For organizational and unity purposes, I'll hold off on contacting them 
until someone suggests I do so.

carey

Brian Lasseter wrote:
> I think this is an excellent step.  No highway capable vehicles are on
> the list, but at least the door is open.  With the door open for
> rebates, we now have an excellent focal point for lobbying.
>
> The most positive aspect of this whole thing is that the bottom of the
> list says "All vehicle models are subject to change at any time,
> without notice" -- We just have to figure out who can change the
> vehicle model list, and have them do it.  I have just finished months
> of wrangling with the Austin Energy legal department about some solar
> panels.  They are good people, they want to help.  They are just
> understaffed, and sometimes uninformed.
>
>
> Beyond a petition... Maybe staging an event would help... A local
> electric car rally of sorts?
> 1.  Find out who is behind the rules, make the event happen near or at
> their offices.  (Maybe over lunch?)
> 2.  Timing of the event would be critical... we want press and policy
> makers there, but getting EVs to show on a week day would be iffy.  On
> a Saturday we could get EVs, but getting policy makers might be
> difficult.
> 3.  Bring out a large cross-section of Austin electric vehicles to
> show policy makers.
> 4.  Invite the press... The combination of freeway capable electric
> cars, and a new city initiative to provide rebates for some electric
> cars is sure to get some local press to appear.
>
>
> I'll obviously be happy to sign any petition, and I'd be happy to help
> organize a rally... but we would need Austin EV club support, and we
> would need to figure out who the important people we want to influence
> are.
>
>
> On 4/3/07, Aaron Choate <achoate at gmail.com> wrote:
>   
>> The details of a rebate program from Austin Energy have been released.  Why
>> aren't conversions listed?  Who put this list together?  What kind of active
>> do we need to be so that the home builder/conversion buyer is no longer
>> excluded from these opportunities?  If a conversion is professionally done
>> or recently done, why shouldn't it too be included?
>>
>> While I appreciate that the rebates are being offered and it is a step
>> forward...  this cuts out a significant group of EV drivers.  Do we need to
>> be writing to council?  Are they informed?  Does it matter?  Obviously the
>> exposure that we have had to Austin Energy staff/ Renewable Energy Roundup
>> folk is of little to no value.  Where do we need to be focusing our efforts?
>>
>> <http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/cleancities/evrguidelines.htm>
>>     
>
>
>