EV Industry Association Prepares for Coming Evolution in Transportation
12 December 1997
EV Industry Association Prepares for Coming Evolution in Transportation
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 12 -- As the world's major automakers and
utilities accelerate their efforts to develop markets for electric vehicles
(EV), the EV industry's chief information organization announced a dramatic
shift in its focus. The Electric Vehicle Association of the Americas (EVAA),
a nonprofit membership association, will expand its efforts from an
organization that provides information mainly to people within the EV industry
to one that is also a "voice for the industry" and an awareness builder for
future EV drivers.
The shift in direction was announced today in Orlando at the EVAA 14th
International Electric Vehicle Symposium (EVS-14), a meeting of several
thousand EV industry participants. As part of its expanded focus, EVAA
unveiled several new market development and information products as well as a
new CD-ROM designed to educate customers about the emerging EV market.
"We surveyed our membership and they were very clear in their desire to
see EVAA play a more aggressive role in promoting sales and developing markets
for EVs," said EVAA Executive Director Robert T. Hayden. "This is a fast-
growing industry and EVAA's role as its primary association means we need to
be very proactive in its development, and we have every intention of doing
just that."
New EVAA products aimed at growing the EV market
At EVS-14, EVAA unveiled several new communications products, including an
interactive CD-ROM titled "EVs Are Here ... Are You Ready?"
"Interactive technology allows us to better communicate with our target
audience, present and future drivers of electric vehicles," said EVAA
Communications Manager Leah Reich. "This is just one example of the new ways
we intend to more actively advocate electric vehicle and infrastructure
development."
This interactive CD, which will be available next spring, is targeted
specifically for early EV customer groups, like managers of corporate and
government vehicle fleets and for target communities that are preparing to
become EV-ready. It is also an ideal tool for teaching the public about EVs.
"As more people have access to personal computers with CD-ROM drives -- in
their offices, in schools and in their homes -- we're finding a preference for
interactive learning tools versus books and reports," said Reich. "This CD
will enable users to see for themselves just how an EV works as they navigate
through a variety of visual and sound-enhanced, interactive modules on
electric vehicles."
EVAA also announced several other new products:
* On the research front, the EV Reference Guide is targeted towards
industry professionals, schools and libraries, and other research institutions
interested in learning more about electric vehicles. Available in print and
on CD-ROM, the guide presents in one place a comprehensive collection of
profiles of more than 200 reports, studies and other publications dealing with
all aspects of EVs and EV infrastructure.
* On the marketing front, EVAA issued three new pamphlets directed at
early target customer groups. The first two pamphlets are part of a new
series called EV Info About ... Both pieces -- "EVs Coming to Market" and
"Frequently Asked Questions About EVs" -- are aimed at early customer groups
and at the general public, including schools and community groups. A third
pamphlet is directed specifically to managers of corporate and government
vehicle fleets. Titled "The Electric Option," it explains why EVs make sense
for fleets. Individual complimentary copies of all three pamphlets are
available from EVAA and multiple copies may be purchased.
* On the conference front, EVAA announced dates and sites for two major
conferences. Since the EVS conference will rotate to Europe in 1998 and Asia
in 1999, EVAA will host its next International Electric Vehicle Symposium in
2000. EVS-17 will take place October 16-18, 2000 in Montreal, Quebec. Next
year, EVAA will host its popular North American EV & Infrastructure Conference
-- NAEVI 98 -- in Phoenix, Arizona, December 3-4, 1998.
"As EVAA sets its sights on the year ahead," said Hayden, "we plan to live
up to our role as the industry's central information source on electric
vehicles. We'll be issuing statements on behalf of the industry. We'll be
introducing new research and market awareness products. And, we'll be
speaking out on major issues related to EVs. In short, if you have questions
about electric vehicles, call us. If we don't know the answer, we'll help you
find it."
Located in San Francisco, EVAA is the industry association working to
advance the commercialization of electric vehicles in the United States,
Canada and Latin America. EVAA's members include major auto companies,
electric utilities, manufacturers of batteries and other EV components,
universities, the U.S. Department of Energy, and national EV industry
associations in other countries in the American hemisphere. The Association
serves as a clearinghouse for information about electric vehicles.
SOURCE Electric Vehicle Association of the Americas
