Maryland Gazette Covers Mayor's Genovation Visit 25 Feb '09
(Maryland Gazette)
A local company that unveiled its first electric car this week is hoping to get plugged in to the mid-Atlantic region. Rockville-based Genovation rolled out a prototype of its battery-operated G1 at its headquarters on East Gude Drive, where Mayor Susan R. Hoffmann took it for a spin around the block. The company converted a 2001 Ford Focus into an electric car by removing the gas tank and combustion engine and replacing it with a battery.
"I think this is the future, obviously, and more people should be doing it," Hoffmann said. The manual prototype did not have power steering, but otherwise, Hoffmann said, it drives like any other car. "I live for the day I can get one of these. When are you going to make a convertible?" she joked.
The car starts with the turn of a key, but there is no loud start-up or hum of an engine. The loudest noise is from the power brakes. Dials were added below the stereo to monitor the battery level. A "full tank" is 155 watts and the battery can be recharged by extending a plug from a socket installed at the gas tank to an electricity outlet.
Andrew Saul, Genovation president and chief executive officer, said his company is hoping to manufacture fleets of cars for local and state governments and possibly even at the federal level. Saul said he will limit sales to the mid-Atlantic region so Genovation can maintain them.
"We want Rockville to be the greenest city in the world … and attracting businesses like yours is very important," Hoffmann told Saul.
Hoffmann ran for mayor in 2007 on a platform that placed the environment at the top of her list of priorities.
Saul said purchasing one of the electric-converted cars has long-term cost benefits and contributes to reducing overall greenhouse gases.
"You're hedging yourself against future spikes in oil and gasoline," Saul said.
One of the cars could cost anywhere from $22,000 if a customer brings in a 2000-2004 Ford Focus for a conversion to $28,000 if Genovation purchases the car and then converts it.
Saul said that based on the high cost of gas and maintenance of a regular car, owners of the electric cars can recover costs in a few years.
Saul said Genovation hopes to complete a hybrid version in six to eight months that will use diesel or biodiesel to fuel a generator that kicks in when the battery drains.
The company is in the design stages for the G2, an original four-seat hatchback made from renewable materials. Production for the G2 is anticipated to begin next year.
Hoffmann, with the city's public works director and environmental management chief in tow, told Saul they would keep in touch and suggested that the city be the first to test the final models.
