A Neighborhood Electric Vehicle (NEV) is defined by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration as a 4-wheeled vehicle with a top speed of 20-25 mph. Across the country a growing number of states and municipalities are looking for ways to factor NEVs into their commuter-traffic considerations. This is something we could, and should, be pushing in the Golden Triangle area.
Many of our roads already meet the criteria to encourage access to NEVs, and others could be brought on line with small reductions in the posted speed limits. Florida statute 316.2122 allows for NEVs on roads posted at 35mph or less, and permits NEVs to cross (at intersections) roads with higher speed limits.
NEVs are unlikely to replace the family car anytime soon–they’re simply too limited in their application given the lifestyle we’ve adopted and the infrastructure we’ve created to support it. However, a substantial argument can be made for augmenting the family fleet with the addition of an NEV. A significant number of the trips we make each week are short and confined to our community–it just doesn’t make sense to fire up the Pickup or the SUV for a spin to the convenience store. As an ‘around-town’ alternative, or a vehicle for teens to get back and forth to school, NEVs can offer families and communities real benefits.
Gas prices are headed for unknown heights, and only the most optimistic or ill-informed among us have reason to believe this is a temporary condition. No gas bills with an NEV.
Electric motors are significantly more efficient than internal combustion engines, and produce no emissions. Sure, the power plant necessary to produce the electricity to power the NEV produces emissions, but the impact is a lot less (1/4 the carbon dioxide and less than 2% of the nitrogen oxide my car spits out).
Tavares is hoping to encourage NEV traffic in their community, and you have to applaud the foresightedness they’re bringing with this announcement. Eustis and Mt. Dora need to be a part of this discussion. It will take some public will, and some work, to facilitate a traffic grid that enables NEV transportation among the three communities, but the benefits should be recognizable to everyone.
You’ve got to update the blog! I recently heard that the first RubeStation is going into service.