Road Use Regulations Roundup – November, 2011

Some trends in this latest regulation roundup:

• A lot of action the past few months on ordinances allowing ATVs, UTVs, mini-trucks and modified and sometimes un-modified golf cars on public roads.  While some concerns about safety still persist, we may be looking at an expansion of the type of small, task-oriented vehicles that are allowed on public roads.
• With Nebraska passing a LSV law and Pennsylvania in the process of passing one, only Connecticut, Mississippi and Montana (no LSV but an MSV law) have not passed an LSV law.
• Higher ordinance activity areas:  Minnesota which is usually active and Ohio which is a relative newcomer
• Some more activity at the county level in the past few months

State Level Regulations

Pennsylvania – State House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill that

“…authorizes travel in NEVs on roadways with a posted speed limit of no more than 25 mph and allows NEVs to cross roadways posted with a higher maximum speed. They can only be operated during daylight hours. NEVs will be required to be equipped with most basic safety equipment, such as brakes, mirrors, seatbelts, windshield and wipers, speedometer, odometer, headlamps, stop lamps, turn signals and reflectors, and a slow-moving vehicle emblem. In addition, NEV drivers must possess a valid license certificate of title, registration and insurance.”

The state is one of only a few that have not passed a LSV law yet.

Nebraska – The governor signed a law allowing NEVs/LSVs on low speed roads.  LSV owners will be required to have a valid operator’s license and liability insurance coverage. The vehicles will be subject to titling requirements, a registration fee of $15 and a new alternative fuel fee of $75 for vehicles using a source of energy not taxed under the motor fuel laws. The alternative fuel fee will replace the alternative fuel tax.

Louisiana – State legislature is debating allowing mini-trucks on public roads.

 Municipality Level Regulations

Wapello, IA – City council is discussing allowing golf cars and utility vehicles on city streets and receiving a mixed reaction from residents.

Sunman, IN – City council will allow golf cars on city streets. Vehicles need to be inspected and have safety features like turn signals, safety belts, reflectors and slow moving vehicle emblems.

Marathon, FL – City allows modified golf cars on low speed streets.  Under the auspicies of the state statue, any golf car meeting the safety and speed requirements will be able to use streets with a speed limit of 35 mph or less.  A city ordinance with different requirements would of required the city to do their own licensing and other onerous administrative duties regarding the vehicles.

Dundee, IL – Village Trustee is pushing the town to revisit the idea of allowing NEVs and LSVs on low speed village roads.

Lauderdale-by-the-sea, FL – The town is creating four parking spaces in their commercial area specifically for use by NEVs.

Augusta County, VA – Supervisors passed an ordinance allowing golf cars and utility vehicles on country roads with speed limits of 25 mph or less.

Bryan City, OH – Initiated ordinance that allows “neighborhood electric vehicles, urban electric vehicles and golf cars/carts” which have been modified to meet certain criteria to use roads with speed limits up to 25 mph.   Driving hours on public roads for the vehicles is limited to daylight hours.

Findlay, OH – City is considering allowing modified golf cars on low speed city streets.

Tecumseh, NE – Town council allows the use of ATVs and UTVs on city streets.  The ordinance allows ATVs and utility vehicles during daylight hours for licensed drivers with liability insurance. Vehicles must be equipped with a bicycle safety flag and not exceed 30 mph.

Riverside County, CA – The governor of California signed legislation that lets Riverside County open up more low speed roads for low speed vehicles.

Mankato, MN – City passed an ordinance that allowed UTVs and mini-trucks on city streets.  Lower speed golf cars were removed from the ordinance.

Canyon Lake, CA – LSVs/NEVs will not be allowed to use Railroad Canyon Road because of safety concerns related to the vehicles mixing with faster traffic.

Polk County, MN – County commissioners passed an ordinance that authorizes the use of four-wheel ATVs, mini trucks and golf carts on county roads.

Morris, MN – City council is considering an ordinance that allows ATVs, UTVs, mini-trucks and golf cars on city streets.

Reedsburg, WI – City council amended an ordinance to now allow gas as well as electric LSVs on public roads.

EV Market Focus: California

Coast Carts of Ventura, CA is an indicator of the growing market for LSVs in California.  With local government mandates and a push at the state level to reduce gas consumption by 50%, there are plenty of local and state organizations looking for alternative vehicles for short-distance transportation.  California also offers rebates above any available federal rebates and a rebate program specifically for farmers in the San Joaquin Valley switching to electric vehicles.

Coast Carts reports an increase in sales of 200% over the last twelve months.  In response to the demand the dealership has added several new lines including the Breeze LSV from Polaris, Taylor-Dunn utility vehicles and Club Car vehicles to existing models from Garia and E-Z-Go.  Learn more:  VCStar.com

California Energy Commission Awards EV Grants

The California Energy Commission recently announced grants totaling $9.6 million for projects involving electric vehicle manufacturing, charging stations and biofuels.  Projects most relevant to the STOV market include:

• $505,381 to San Francisco-based Mission Motor Company to help it bring its prototype electric vehicle battery packs and motor control modules to commercial production.  The components will work in electric motorcycles, scooters, cars, buses and outdoor power equipment.  The assembly facility in downtown San Francisco are expected to be capable of producing 30,000 battery packs and motor control systems each year by 2015,
• $2,962,743 to Leyden Energy, Inc., for a production line capable assembling its lithium battery packs for its partner in the project, electric vehicle manufacturer Green Vehicles of Salinas.

The companies receiving the grants are providing matching funding for their respective projects.  Learn more:  Favstocks.com

California Energy Commission Awards Funding For Alternative Vehicle Tech

The California Energy Commission recently approved over $12.5 million for nine projects related to alternative vehicle technology.  Projects related to the STOV market included:

• Nearly $1 million to Santa Cruz-based Zero Motorcycles to develop a motor and integrated controller specifically for use in electric vehicles such as motorcycles, neighborhood electric vehicles, and all-terrain vehicles with a target production price of less than $450 each.
• $1.1 million to Coulomb Technologies to develop their Charge Point Communication Processor, designed to be installed into existing electric chargers and into new chargers manufactured by other companies. The result will be a complete smart charger network capable of remotely controlling the charging and discharging of batteries and shifting charging loads away from peak hours.

Many of the grants are matched by the participating companies and in some cases local governments provide additional funding or loans as well.

Learn more:  Energy.ca.gov

EV Infrastructure News

Eaton & Murphy Oil USA start EV charging demonstration project. Eaton will provide their DC Quick Chargers and Murphy Oil USA brings over 1,000 gas stations in 22 states to the project.  An initial test deployment will begin in Tennessee before the partners decide how to expand distribution.  Learn more:  Greencarcongress.com

Santa Cruz, CA to add more charging stations. The Monterey Bay Electric Vehicle Alliance recently secured more funding for installing more charging stations around the county.  While existing stations initially targeted NEVs, the new stations will also offer enough voltage for charging highway electric cars.  Learn more:  Kionrightnow.com

California’s Clean Vehicle Rebate Projects Gets More Funds

The California Air Resources Board recently added $5 million to the state’s Clean Vehicle Rebate Project (CVRP).  The funds are in addition to the $4.1 million originally put into the program.  Some of those funds have already been distributed for qualified vehicles.  According to project management eligible vehicles include medium duty all-electric vehicles, zero emission motorcycles, NEVs and full function light-duty vehicles.  The Nissan Leaf will be eligible when it comes to market and is likely to account for a large portion of the rebate funds distributed in the future.

Learn more:  Green.autoblog.com

LSV Market Shows Growth Potential

I came across a couple of stories recently that highlight the growth potential in the LSV market. One story features the market in Southern New Jersey where state and local LSV laws have paved the way for use in island communities. This represents an expansion beyond the traditional campground market which was mainly served by golf carts that have become more customized as the market developed.  As one recent LSV buyer from Ocean City remarked in the article,

“I think it’s going to be good over here. We’re in the north end and anticipate going to the beach and downtown to shop, wherever a regular vehicle is used but this should be easier because its smaller and more environmentally friendly.”

The other story highlights efforts by community planners in Southern California to use LSVs to improve air quality and reduce traffic. They see potential for households using the vehicles as a second vehicle.

In both cases the ability to drive the vehicles on public roads is key. This is one reason why golf cars for use as personal transportation are likely to be displaced in growing numbers by LSVs. The added versatility and convenience of being able to use LSVs on local roads in addition to one’s own property or a gated community will allow more and more customers to justify the higher cost of LSVs relative to golf cars. The advent of LSV compliant off-road utility vehicles will only add momentum to this trend.

Learn more: Findashorehome.com

Learn more:  Press-Enterprise

Road Use Regulations Roundup – February, 2010

Some trends in this latest regulation roundup:

• A lot of legislative of action at the state level as the new year began
• More public road access for mini-trucks and UTVs
• Legislation benefiting LSVs including increasing speed limits, lowering speed limits, removing legislative roadblocks and equipment requirements
• More public road access for golf cart

Nebraska – A recently introduced bill would permit the use of mini-trucks on all Nebraska roads except interstate highways, controlled-access highways and expressways. The bill also provides definitions for UTVs and mini-trucks. The story notes that mini-trucks would be used not only in rural areas but by lawn service providers in urban areas as well.

Indiana – The Indiana House of Representatives passed a bill which would allow the use of mini-trucks on local roads and state roads if properly titled and registered by the BMV. Mini-truck dealers must also register as a dealer in Indiana. The bill effectively creates a separate classification for mini-trucks which currently fall under the off-road vehicle category which includes UTVs, ATVs and golf cars.

Wisconsin – The Wisconsin Assembly Ag Committee unanimously passed the so-called “Gator Bill” which would allow light utility vehicles to be operated on roadways for agriculture use. The bill is expected to come to a vote shortly.

Mower County, MN – In the last week of December, the Mower County Board of Commissioners approved an ordinance to license and allow mini-trucks on county roads. Under the new ordinance, the mini-trucks are allowed on township and county roads, but cities in the county need to pass separate ordinances.

Santa Rosa Beach, FL – A citizen group is proposing that the speed limit for an 18.5 mile stretch of county road 30A be lowered from 45 mph to 35 mph to accommodate the use of LSVs. There is some opposition to the change.

Wisconsin – A bill working its way through the Senate would give municipalities greater ability to permit neighborhood electric vehicles (“NEV”) on roads that connect to highways or cross state highways without obtaining state DOT approval.

Alaska – The Alaska State Legislature today passed a bill that allows expanded access for LSVs on certain roads in Alaska. The bill will allow low-speed electric vehicles on roads with posted speed limits of 45 mph or less. Current Alaska law only allows these vehicles to operate on roads with posted speed limits of 35 mph or less.

Fresno, CA – The legislative process has been started to allow the city of Fresno to seek permission from the state to develop a neighborhood electric vehicle plan. The plan would clear the way for special lanes, signs and other upgrades required to allow the mini-cars on more city streets.

Utah – Utah lawmakers will consider a bill that would allow low-speed vehicles go without a speedometer, odometer and braking for each wheel. According to the story Utah and Louisiana are the only states that require speedometers, odometers and brakes on all four wheels.

South Carolina – A House Subcommittee agreed Wednesday to allow a driver to operate a golf cart up to 5 miles from their home or business as opposed to the current 2 mile limit. The bill moved forward despite opposition from the State Public Safety Director but still has several hurdles to overcome before becoming law.

Dunedin, FL – City officials are looking into allowing golf carts on downtown roadways, in part to pro-actively address future parking problems.

Electric Vehicles International Opens US Plant

Electric Vehicles International opened up their new manufacturing facility in Stockton, CA yesterday.  EVI will design and assemble zero-emission, all-electric, medium-duty delivery vehicles and light-duty vehicles using EVI electric motors and controllers made at the location.  The Stockton location will also serve as the company’s world headquarters, previously located in Mexico.  Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger participated in the opening ceremonies.

The medium-duty vehicles are being produced in partnership with Freightliner Custom Chassis and EVI plans to ship 1,000 of the all-electric trucks in 2010.  The vehicles will cost $120,000 to $180,000 and have ranges of 60, 80 and 115 miles depending on the size of the lithium-ion battery pack chosen. The company also plans to enter the plug-in hybrid business, and possibly perform electric conversions of school buses and port equipment as well.  Learn more:  Collisionconcierge.com

Cart Mart Acquires Pacific Golf Cars

Cart Mart, one of the largest distributors of golf car, transportation and industrial vehicles in Southern California, recently announced their acquisition of Pacific Golf Cars.  Pacific Golf Cars has been San Diego’s exclusive Club Car dealer for over thirty years.  The acquisitions adds the Club Car brand to Cart Mart’s existing line-up which includes Yamaha, Taylor-Dunn and Fairplay.  Learn more:  Earthtimes.org.