Boston, MA-NH (1888PressRelease)
August 08, 2009 - Communities nationwide are adopting smarter transportation solutions, and the state of Massachusetts is no exception. In an effort to reduce carbon emissions while providing convenient transportation alternatives, the state of Massachusetts passed the Neighborhood Electric Vehicle Ordinance, effective July 31, 2009. The NEV Ordinance legalizes the driving of Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEVs) on streets posted 30 miles per hour and below. Originally pioneered by Global Electric Motorcars over eleven years ago, NEVs are quickly becoming commonplace in both residential and urban communities.
For the residents of Massachusetts, the availability of street-legal NEVs translates to cleaner, more efficient driving. Eighty year-old Winchendon resident, Francis Oates, has owned his GEM electric vehicle for a year and half and was the first person to register his NEV in the state of Massachusetts. Because NEVs weren’t street legal before the Ordinance was passed, his GEM car has been sitting in his garage unused.
“I finally get to drive my GEM and it’s been great for getting around town and running my errands,” says Oates. “The Ordinance passed just in time for my daughter to come into town for a visit, so she has been riding in my GEM with me.”
GEM dealer Glen Bean of Salvadore Chrysler Plymouth Dodge in Garner, Massachusetts expects the Ordinance will effect transportation in bigger cities like Boston, Worcester, Springfield, and Fitchburg.
“I think the Ordinance will have a very positive impact in terms of saving fuel, reducing emissions, and minimizing noise pollution,” says Bean, whose dealership sells GEM electric vehicles to local residents. “While the impact of NEVs on transportation will take some time, I think we’ll see a change in driving habits in the bigger cities.”
“Locals can now benefit from using GEM vehicles to get around islands like Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard,” adds fellow GEM dealer Bill DeLuca IV. of Bill DeLuca Chrysler Jeep in Haverhill, Massachusetts. “They’re also great for local businesses, like pizza shops, post offices, hotels and grocery stores.”
Inexpensive and readily available to the residents of Massachusetts, GEM cars are much more economical in price and fuel consumption than traditional cars. GEM zero-emission vehicles drive the equivalent of 150 miles per gallon, or two cents per mile, and plug into a 110-volt outlet to recharge. With lifecycle costs of one third of full function vehicles, GEM cars are regularly used for running errands, hauling equipment, or commuting to work and school, and are a safe, ideal choice for city driving.
To date, GEM cars have been driven more than 350 million emission-free miles, and have saved over 16 million gallons of gas. GEM cars have also prevented more than 180 tons of ozone-producing pollutants from reaching the air, and thanks to the newly effective NEV ordinance, continues to pioneer clean driving for the state of Massachusetts.
About Global Electric Motorcars:
As a wholly owned subsidiary of Chrysler Group LLC, Global Electric Motorcars has been the market leader in the low-speed, NEV industry for the past 11 years and has more than 40,000 GEM battery-electric vehicles on the road worldwide. GEM cars are used by local, state and national government agencies, resorts, master- planned communities, universities, medical and corporate campuses, as well as by sports teams, taxi-shuttle services and individual consumers.
The six GEM passenger and utility models are legal on most streets with posted speeds of 35 mph or less and have many of the same safety features of regular cars, but are much more economical in price and fuel consumption. GEM cars are eligible for incentives and tax credits from clean-air districts and other governmental agencies.
To date, GEM cars have been driven more than 350 million emission-free miles, and have saved more than 16 million gallons of gasoline. They also have prevented more than 180 tons of ozone-producing pollutants from reaching the air. www.gemcar.com
For media inquiries and/or to arrange an interview, please contact Jessica Lieu at 323.937.1351 or Jessica ( @ ) barnettellman dot com.
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