Electric Vehicle Clean Commute Program Sparks Interest of Long Islanders

    HUNTINGTON, N.Y.--Aug. 28, 2002--The major partners in the nation's largest electric station car demonstration project gathered today at Huntington Station to herald the program's success on Long Island.
    The Clean Commute program was launched in October by the New York Power Authority and Ford Motor Company's electric vehicle group, TH!NK Mobility, in conjunction with the Long Island Power Authority and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Begun with the goal of leasing 100 emission-free TH!NK city electric vehicles to suburban commuters, the program has exceeded expectations on Long Island.
    "The NYPA/TH!NK Clean Commute program is a direct outgrowth of Governor Pataki's commitment to providing New Yorkers with environmentally sensitive transportation choices," said Bart Chezar, NYPA Manager of Electric Transportation. "Electric vehicles can contribute to improving air quality and protecting the health of all New Yorkers -while at the same time cutting our dependence on foreign oil."
    In response to the demand for the TH!NK city, NYPA and Ford reassigned 10 vehicles from other localities to Huntington Station. With support from LIPA, Long Island Rail Road and the Town of Huntington, the station can now support 25 vehicles.
    With the expansion, Long Island is now the regional leader in the Clean Commute program, representing 40 percent of the program's vehicles.
    The Clean Commute Program is a major step forward in establishing common-sense commuting alternatives," said LIPA Chairman Richard M. Kessel. "Through Governor George Pataki's leadership, LIPA, NYPA, the LIRR and Huntington and Oyster Bay Towns are working together to help keep Long Island's air a little cleaner and our roads a little less congested."
    Funding for LIPA's commitment to the Clean Commute program is provided under its Clean Energy Initiative, a five-year, $170 million program, originally proposed by Governor Pataki and designed in part to foster development and application of clean energy technologies
    "At the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) we are dedicated to environmentally responsible transportation and this is a smart step in that direction," said LIRR President Ken Bauer. "The energy independence that is created by this program and other programs like it has never been more valuable."
    To date, Ford has leased 95 TH!NK city EV's to commuters from Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, Queens, Nassau and Suffolk counties for $199 per month. Clean Commute participants use charging stations at the commuter train station's parking lots, where their vehicles are repowered during the work day. Participants also have charging equipment installed at their homes to broaden the opportunity for greater vehicle use.
    Local Ford dealers assigned to lease the TH!NK city directly to consumers provide maintenance service and basic vehicle instruction. The TH!NK city is a two-passenger EV with a range of approximately 50 miles and a top speed of nearly 55 miles per hour. It is manufactured by Ford's TH!NK Nordic subsidiary in Norway.
    NYPA's electric transportation program has deployed more than 300 electric vehicles, ranging from full-sized transit buses to battery-powered bicycles. NYPA-deployed electric vehicles have exceeded the 1.6 million EV-miles.