As a city shaped and designed by the personal vehicle, now it is Houston\u2019s turn to welcome, promote, and shape its urban infrastructure to a new kind of vehicle \u2013 the electric vehicle (EV).\u00a0 As plans are underway to expand public transportation networks and creating these networks requires much time, financing, planning, and a construction period (of which some businesses have difficulty during), the eVgo stations are 1) simple to install, 2) compliment Houston\u2019s existing infrastructure and businesses, and 3) offer an opportunity for more Houstonians to drive electric vehicles to help reduce dependence on oil and cut emissions.<\/p>\n
EVs, Electric Vehicles, the Character<\/strong><\/p>\n Two benefits of electric vehicles are reducing auto pollution and allowing larger cities like Houston to meet clean air standards. Although an EV may be charged with energy from partially dirty sources, EVs are still cleaner than the average vehicle. For instance, if all of the energy is produced from coal to charge an EV, carbon dioxide emissions are still 25 percent lower than an ordinary gasoline vehicle. Jan Kreider, Founder of the University of Colorado\u2019s Joint Center for Energy Management, studied the electric and hybrid electric vehicles lifetime of energy use \u2013 including production, transportation, disposal, and energy use. In the study, electric and hybrid vehicles created less pollution than traditional internal combustion engines in the areas of carbon dioxide, sulfur oxide, nitrogen oxide, and mercury levels. (Paragraph summary from Houston Chronicle Article, Electric Cars Run on Coal, Partly, (http:\/\/www.chron.com\/disp\/story.mpl\/business\/energy\/7301694.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+houstonchronicle%2Fenergy+%28HoustonChronicle.com+–+Energy%29<\/a>),<\/p>\n \u00a0NRG Energy\u2019s eVgo Stations, the New Set Design<\/strong><\/p>\n Throughout town, new eVgo stations will shape the city to promote more electric vehicles. NRG Energy plans to create 150 eVgo stations in a radius extending 25 miles from downtown Houston. Charging stations will be located at local stores like Walgreens, Specs, HEB, and Best Buy and near offices, but NRG Energy anticipates 80-90% of electric vehicles will charge at home. One can choose from three different monthly eVgo plans for charging, including a home plan with installation of a charging station at home, a mobile plan with a home charger and free charging at public chargers, and a complete plan with a home station, free public station charging, and free home charging. They plan to install 50 DC stations where a full charge takes about 30 minutes, and 100 Level 2 chargers that will take 3-4 hours for a full charge. Units will be installed beginning in February and are expected to be completed by summer of 2011. Similar plans are also underway for other Texas cities, such as Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio. (Paragraph summary from City to Lead Electric Car Charge in Houston Chronicle, November 18, 2010, Vol. 110. No. 36 and NRG Energy\u2019s eVgo page, https:\/\/www.evgonetwork.com\/<\/a>. )<\/p>\n \u00a0Houston, a Prime Stage for Electric Cars<\/strong><\/p>\n Houston\u2019s urban, infrastructure, and cultural characteristics present a condition for NRG Energy to create the largest electric vehicle charging station network in the U.S. \u00a0A Houston Chronicle Editorial Charge! Why Houston \u2013 Houston! – is Great for Electric Cars (http:\/\/www.chron.com\/disp\/story.mpl\/editorial\/7308925.html<\/a>) is highlighted and commented on\/categorized below:<\/p>\n The City of Houston is also promoting electric cars by 1) issuing a permit in 24 hours for homeowners to install and electric car charging station in their house and 2) planning on allowing electric vehicles on HOV lanes and giving them a reduced toll fare.\u00a0 The City of Houston also plans on adding more hybrid vehicles and adding 100 Nissan Leafs to its line-up of city owned cars for employees.\u00a0 (Summarized from City to help put electric cars on road to success from the Houston Chronicle, http:\/\/www.chron.com\/disp\/story.mpl\/business\/energy\/7301637.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+houstonchronicle%2Fenergy+%28HoustonChronicle.com+–+Energy%29<\/a> )<\/p>\n Houston has no doubt taken measures to help at the national scale with President Obama\u2019s 2015 initiative to have 1 million electric cars on the road and seeks to set the stage to give its own citizens confidence and serve as a role model for the rest of the U.S. to inspire electric cars on the road. (Summarized from Houston Charged Up to Lead the Nation in Electric Car Power, http:\/\/culturemap.com\/newsdetail\/11-19-10-houston-charged-up-to-lead-the-nation-in-electric-car-power\/<\/a>)<\/p>\n Ripple effects of the electric vehicle initiatives could be felt by the building community. Will more buildings seek to place preferred parking for alternative vehicles? Will parking requirements eventually be reworked for electric vehicles? Although LEED-ND mainly focuses on sustainable sites through walking, biking, and public transit measures, could the electric vehicle infrastructure potentially be an innovation and design credit for LEED-ND?<\/p>\n Nonetheless, it is exciting to see evolving technology- the EV- being embraced by individuals, households, neighborhoods\/communities, and the city to help transform transportation in Houston. Whether you are an individual, business developer, government official, or part of a firm or organization, everyone plays an important role in fostering awareness, discussion, research, and action about transportation in Houston and the role of EVs.<\/p>\n\n
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