Southern Company Launches Corporate Electric Vehicle Lease Program
31 March 1999
Southern Company Launches Largest Corporate Electric Vehicle Lease Program in Nation Goal: Improve Air Quality
WASHINGTON, March 31 -- Southern Company announced
today the largest corporate electric vehicle lease program in the United
States, whereby 400 electric vehicles will be leased to employees at an
affordable price over the next four years. This program will bring the number
of electric vehicles in Southern Company's fleet to almost 600 by the year
2003.
Electric transportation is a clear example of one effective solution to
some of the most pressing environmental issues in the country. Electric
vehicles offer a quiet and tail pipe emission-free alternative to traditional
gasoline-powered vehicles. Driving electric vehicles helps improve air
quality by greatly reducing the amounts of nitrogen oxides and volatile
organic compounds, while lowering carbon dioxide emissions.
"We have two goals for this program. We want to help create the mass
market for automakers to produce electric vehicles nationally and help clean
the air by removing the tail pipe emissions of hundreds of cars from
roadways," said Southern Company chairman, president and CEO A.W. "Bill"
Dahlberg.
The Southern Company Employee Electric Vehicle (EV) Lease Program provides
employees an opportunity to sublease an electric vehicle from the company. At
least 100 vehicles will be leased each year for four years, bringing 400
additional electric vehicles into Southern Company's fleet. The number of
vehicles may increase based on employee demand.
"This revolutionary lease program will help introduce electric vehicles to
the public, improve air quality and help foster less dependency on foreign
sources of petroleum," said Dahlberg. "Southern Company is implementing
solutions to environmental issues while helping to mainstream EV technology
and improve quality of life on a national front."
"We applaud Southern Company for being a leader with corporate fleets
giving their employees access to a cleaner means of transportation and for
continuing the partnership in the federal fleet program," said Secretary of
Energy Bill Richardson. "Each electric vehicle introduced today would reduce
greenhouse gas emissions by 35% compared to conventional vehicles."
To kick off the program, Southern Company is loaning two Ford Ranger EVs
to the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington D.C. The zoo will use the
Ranger for many things, including transport of personnel and equipment. They
will also be used to educate visitors of all ages about the benefits of
electric vehicles.
According to National Zoological Park Director Mike Robinson, "We're
delighted to use these electric vehicles on National Zoo grounds to encourage
public awareness of new conservation technologies."
"EV advocates from around the country continue to marvel at the pace and
scope of EV initiatives underway in Georgia," said Kateri Callahan, executive
director of the Electric Vehicle Association of the Americas. "Southern
Company's innovative programs are being studied and replicated in major
markets from coast to coast."
Southern Company currently operates one of the largest electric vehicle
fleets in the nation with 190 EVs, including 50 Chevy S-10s, 32 Ford Rangers,
73 Toyota RAV 4s and 27 GM EV1s. More than 130 additional electric vehicles
are on order for this year.
Employees at Southern Company and its largest subsidiary, Georgia Power,
will have a choice of EVs to lease -- the electric Ford Ranger truck or GM EV1
sports car. The Ford Ranger will be leased for $150 a month and the GM EV1
will lease for $200 per month, and payments will be automatically deducted
from employees' paychecks.
On March 15, Georgia Congressmen Mac Collins and John Lewis reintroduced a
bipartisan bill that would amend the nation's tax laws to make a $4,000 tax
credit available for electric vehicle purchases and leases for any individual,
corporation or group. Also, the bill would remove government-use
restrictions, making it possible for state and local governments to expand the
use of electric transit and fleet vehicles.
Southern Company is an international energy company with $35 billion in
assets through regional utilities and operations around the world. It is the
largest producer of electricity in the United States and one of the world's
largest independent power producers. Based in Atlanta, Southern Company is
the parent firm of Alabama Power, Georgia Power, Gulf Power, Mississippi Power
and Savannah Electric. Through its Southern Energy Inc. subsidiary, Southern
Company supplies electricity in 10 countries on four continents. It also
provides energy-related marketing, trading and technical services and Southern
LINC wireless telecommunications.
