ZEV.NET PROGRAM OFFERS CLEAN, CONVENIENT ALTERNATIVES FOR IRVINE COMMUTE

April 18, 2002 -- Irvine, CA -- The largest station car project in the nation using advanced technology vehicles is being established in the City of Irvine to bring the full force of the Internet, fuel cells, electric vehicles, research and shared-use together to solve complex problems like traffic congestion, air pollution and oil dependency.

The program, ZEV·NET (Zero Emission Vehicle · Network Enabled Transport) will offer participating commuters zero and low emission vehicles to get from the Irvine Transportation Center in the Irvine Spectrum to their place of employment. Once there, fellow employees share the vehicles for short trips during business hours. At the end of the business day, the vehicles are driven back to the transportation center, where they may be used by a returning Irvine resident for the commute home.

ZEV·NET eliminates the pollution associated with a one-person-per-car freeway commute. Additionally, solar panels and fuel cells will be incorporated at the transportation center to generate zero-emission electricity on site to charge the electric vehicles "ZEV·NET combines some of the best technologies available today for reducing air pollution and curbing congestion into a comprehensive program for commuting to and from work," said Alan Lloyd, chair of the California Air Resources Board. "This program demonstrates how we can use technology to clean our air, help cut greenhouse gas emissions and reduce our dependency on petroleum products at the same time."

ZEV·NET is the product of a far-reaching public-private partnership. It combines advanced energy research and transportation studies at UC Irvine with zero- and low-emission vehicles, and a collaboration involving the City of Irvine, Toyota, The Irvine Company and the Orange County Transportation Authority. The National Fuel Cell Research Center and the Institute of Transportation Studies, both associated with The Henry Samueli School of Engineering, are the key UCI research units leading the ZEV·NET effort.

"The ZEV·NET initiative brings together many and varied segments of our community in combination with emerging new technologies," said Scott Samuelsen, engineering professor and director of the National Fuel Cell Research Center, which manages ZEV·NET. "This is a unique strategic alliance both within and outside the university that is dedicated to creative and environmentally responsible transportation alternatives for California."

Current companies participating in ZEV·NET are Orthodyne Electronics located in Irvine, Quantum in the University Research Park adjacent to UCI, and CTG Energetics, Inc. in the Irvine Spectrum. The program will expand the number of Corporate Members to include hundreds of commuters who work or live in Irvine.

ZEV·NET will start with a fleet of 50 Toyota zero- and low-emission vehicles: the e-com, a personal-sized City Electric Vehicle; the RAV4 EV, a zero-emissions version of the popular sport utility vehicle; and the Prius, a hybrid internal combustion and battery powered sedan.

Toyota is recognized as a world leader in developing technologies that reduce vehicle emissions and limit environmental impact. The company created the first mass-produced gas-electric hybrid, and the RAV4 EV is currently for sale in California.

"There's no one silver bullet to solve all our transportation needs of the future," said Dave Illingworth, senior vice president, chief planning officer of Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc., "That's why this project is so important. It uses a multi-level approach that combines the best of today's technology for developing tomorrow's environmentally responsible transportation."

As home to some of the nation's leading high-tech companies and research centers, the City of Irvine provides the perfect environment for the ZEV·NET program. One of the first and most successful master-planned communities in world, Irvine provides unsurpassed residential and business environments with a centralized Southern California location and transportation access to roads, rail and an airport.

"The City of Irvine is pleased to be a part of this innovative project that is designed to satisfy a commuter's need for personal transportation in an environmentally friendly way," said Mayor Larry Agran.

As another research component of the program, global positioning systems will be installed in the vehicles, allowing for real-time monitoring of vehicle performance and status. The vehicles will also feature wireless networking with Internet accessibility. Researchers at the UCI Institute for Transportation Studies (ITS) will monitor the use of the vehicles in order to learn more about commuter patterns. "Intelligent transportation systems are a key to the future," according to professor Will Recker, director of ITS. "ZEV·NET provides the research platform upon which this new future will emerge."

ZEV·NET is the culmination of a two-year Advanced Power and Energy Program study with the Toyota City Electric Vehicle for private and shared use. If successful, the shared-use station-car concept could play a major role in addressing California's air quality, traffic congestion and energy problems. Manufacturers participating in the program will qualify for zero emission vehicle credits from the California Air Resources Board.

Other ZEV·NET collaborators include the California Air Resources Board, the Orange County Transportation Authority, and the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology.

For more information on ZEV·NET, go to www.zevnet.org