Archive for the ‘Customers’ Category
The Blade Electron was a star performer at the Green Zone Drive event in Melbourne’s Docklands precinct over the week of October 2-8. Over 100 people test drove the Electron over a 3.5 kilometre circuit around public roads. As expected, it performed flawlessly in the testing environment (including during the severe storms on the Wednesday).
From the Canberra Times, August 8th 2010
BY NOEL TOWELL
19 Aug, 2010 09:07 AM
It will cost you $48,000 and you can’t drive it to Sydney but the Blade Electron represents progress on many fronts.
First, it’s the closest you can get to an Australian-built electric car and driving 100km in it will cost you $2.
Provided the electricity comes from renewable sources, that’s the greenest 100km you’ll find, short of a pushbike.
And with the Electron capable of charging in eight hours from a domestic power point, it doesn’t have to wait for the promised electric car recharging points to appear around the city.
The car, if it does everything its makers say it can, could launch Castlemaine into the ranks of Australian automotive, or electromotive, household names.
Wollemi Systems is an ICT consultancy in Canberra, ACT.
The Wollemi Systems Electron
In late 2009, as part of Wollemi System’s commitment to helping create a sustainable future, they embarked on the purchase of a new electric car…
Asking around the local dealerships they received nothing but blank looks. “We have hybrids” was about as close as they could get! Hybrid cars are only part of the solution. They wanted a zero emission vehicle and therefore electric was the only solution.
Then they discovered BEV.
NZ Minister for Climate Change Issues - Dr Nick Smith
NZ Minister for Climate Change Issues, Dr Nick Smith, gave a speech to the 6th Climate Change And Business Conference in Sydney on Wednesday, 11 August 2010.
Dr Smith has been driving an Electron in his electorate of Nelson for over 2 years. In the speech he says in part:
“Another initiative of which I have a personal interest is encouraging the uptake of electric car technologies.
“ New Zealand having such a large percentage of renewable electricity is uniquely placed to reduce emissions from the new generation of battery powered cars.
“Full credit to Blade Electric Vehicles in Melbourne (sic) who converted my Hyundai Getz into full electric.
“My nine-year old son disapprovingly calls it a “nana car” but it is technology such as this that is helping pave the way with its zero emissions.”
The Conference Communique contains recommendations in the transport area including:
Full transcript of speech here.
NECO’s Electron
Smart Green Living experts, NECO, are happy with their Electron:
“We’ve had our Blade Electric Vehicle (“Electron”) for almost 12 months now, and we couldn’t be happier. We love the fact that it is zero emissions, has zippy performance, and turns heads for all the right reasons!
Big pat-on-the-back to Ross Blade and the team at BEV for the work they have done on this car. They’ve also had some great write-ups in “Drive” in recent weeks. Support local engineering and manufacturing, and try an Electron – it’s the future of motoring today!”
Neco's Electron
Peter Meurs, managing director for WorleyParsons’ sustainable business arm EcoNomics, shows off his Blade Electron at the launch of Australia’s first major EV trial in Western Australia.
Michael Axtens purchased a “pre-loved” Electron in mid-2009. This was a Mark I 2007 model, with about 10,000km on the clock. It was updated and refurbished at BEV before sale. Since then he has travelled roughly 1000km, including two return trips to Melbourne from Geelong.
Michael describes the car as a “delight to drive”, and he should know, having already converted a car as an exercise with an electric car club. He is particularly taken with the regenerative braking, which he has quickly mastered and professes to hardly ever need to use the conventional brake.
“It’s a great feeling to know you are maximising the energy storage and not wasting battery power as heat in the brakes”, he said.
He also is happy with the new fuel gauge, a recent innovation from BEV, with a real time indication of battery charge level. “It seems very accurate and I like the low battery indicator – just like a petrol warning light”, he said.
Online store NECO has purchased an Electron as part of their fleet.
It can be seen at their megastore at 101-107 Whitehorse Road, Blackburn, Vic 3130.
In September 2009 Mayor of Mount Alexander Shire in central Victoria, Philip Schier, took delivery of an Electron.
The car was purchased as part of the Shire’s Greenhouse Action Plan, which seeks to reduce Shire-wide carbon emissions by 30% of 2000 levels by 2010.
Mayor Philip Schier with his Electron
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