Sparking California’s Economy : Electric van venture may be a step in re-establishing industrial base

Last week’s announcement of a joint venture between a California electric vehicle manufacturer and a Florida specialty auto maker to build electric vans may demonstrate that necessity can be the mother of market opportunity as well as invention.

Strangely, the double whammy of a weak economy and Southern California’s often foul air may before long produce an economic and environmental dividend for the state in the form of electric vehicle technology.

Solar Electric Engineering Inc., a Santa Rosa firm, and Consulier Automotive of Florida together plan to produce 100 electric utility vans beginning in 1993. These will be the first electric vans commercially available in the United States.

Since the aerospace industry began to falter, many have envisioned new transportation technologies as a regional industrial base. Electric vehicles are an obvious choice for this region because they produce no air pollution. Indeed, state air regulations mandate that by 1998, 2% of California’s new passenger vehicles must produce zero emissions. But the steep cost and technical limitations of the current generation of electric vehicles--including heavy weight, short range and, often, poor acceleration--have kept a lid on commercial production. These obstacles can be overcome. The National Energy Policy Act, signed last month by President Bush, will help on the price end. Electric car buyers can get a tax credit of 10% of the purchase price, up to $4,000. Solutions to some of the technical impediments may be coming. The state and local governments and private firms are collaborating to develop electric vehicles. Cal Start, for example, a public-private consortium in the San Fernando Valley, is developing components for electric cars, and is formulating plans for charging stations and battery recycling. In the meantime, a step toward development of a better electric van is a jolt of good news.