Move Over 3 R’s, Here Come the 3 E’s

Move Over 3 R’s, Here Come the 3 E’s

By Scott Breckley, Vice President Sales & Marketing, Columbia ParCar Corp.

If you add the word utility to the term vehicle; widely understood to be a means by which someone or something is transported, you’ve got a machine with “the state of being useful.” That means a Utility Vehicle provides mobile usefulness. But are users today actually achieving the highest quality of usefulness possible?

To answer that question, think about the 3 E’s: Energy, Environment and Economy. Ideally, a utility vehicle should demand minimal energy to get the job done, provide maximum economy and, at the same time, create little negative impact upon the environment in which it operates.

The E’s are everyone’s concern

With fluctuating and often rising fuel costs and the pressing need for U.S. energy independence, it’s not just consumers and homeowners who are going green. Federal, state and local government agencies; schools and universities; and American businesses in practically every sector are focusing on ways to become more eco-friendly. They want to lower their energy consumption and help the environment. A bonus is that these entities are also enjoying lowered operational costs while increasing their sustainability.

Electric powered utility vehicles can be an eco-friendly solution for almost any organization. They offer users many positive attributes because they are clean, green, safe, quiet and efficient. And, although they need electricity to recharge, this can be done at off-peak times. Off-peak charging requires no additional infrastructure and increases the utilization of existing power generation facilities, which could even reduce power rates if electric utility vehicle numbers were large.

One enthusiast reports

One satisfied user is Jim Ruby, Manager of Fleet Services for the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). He’s become an avid proponent and user of electric vehicles. “We found that our electric vehicles cost only three cents per mile to operate compared to the 30 to 35 cents per mile for internal combustion engine-powered vehicles,” he explains.
Not only has UCSD enjoyed a significant cost savings, but also by using Columbia’s electric vehicles, Ruby adds, “We are producing zero tailpipe emissions, which in return, reduces our carbon footprint.” 

Ruby and his staff manage and operate hundreds of vehicles of various types, including more than 300 non-road and street-legal utility vehicles. He is at the forefront of “greening” his entire fleet by using electric powered vehicles to replace gas- and diesel-powered models whenever practicable.

In many respects, UCSD is not unlike most colleges and other large campus-like installations. The university provides numerous functions in addition to educational classes. A wide variety of operators depend on their electric-powered utility vehicles to service all these functions. Ruby reports that Columbia’s electric vehicles are being used by building services staff, electricians, custodians, security personnel, administrators and the faculty. Catering and housekeeping crews rely on them to get around the large campus, as do students and teaching staff with mobility disabilities.

In fact, the UCSD campus is a showcase in terms of debunking many misconceptions about electric powered vehicles. Many who don’t have experience with today’s electric utility vehicles believe such transport carriers cannot go far enough, travel fast enough or traverse steep hills to get the job done in a demanding work environment. By tuning the performance of the vehicles to the demands found at the UCSD campus, Columbia has proven that electric vehicles can routinely traverse substantial grades, carry people long distances and do so fast enough to keep up with on-road campus traffic — or slow enough to operate safely on the paths used by pedestrians.

Others take a fresh view of today’s utility vehicles

Like UCSD, many organizations are rethinking the type of transport carriers they use to accomplish their mission. One good example is when the U.S. Army recently announced plans to convert up to 4,000 internal combustion engine-powered vehicles to a mixture of electric-powered, street-legal utility and passenger vehicles. The plan is to deploy these vehicles over the next three years. Early reports indicate that the majority of the U.S. Army’s Low Speed Vehicle fleet will ultimately consist of more utility vehicles than any other category. 

The independent actions of a university and a huge military organization are a strong indication that a vast number of utility vehicles, both street-legal and non-road models, can effectively replace traditional, internal combustion engine vehicles. Those who have tried a utility vehicle have discovered, by virtue of its high degree of maneuverability, additional versatility compared to the transport it replaces. As Jim Ruby affirms, “Now our vehicles have front door access to our buildings.”  He’s pointing to the ability of a utility vehicle to transport personnel and materials close to a worksite, which improves any organization’s productivity substantially.

Getting the word out

The difficulty associated with manufacturing and selling electric-powered utility vehicles into new markets and applications comes in the form of an increased investment in education. Because the misconceptions about electric vehicles, noted previously, are firmly lodged in the minds of many users, a manufacturer must invest considerable resources in replacing these misunderstandings with the reality that today’s electric-powered utility vehicles significantly outperform products of days gone by.

Helping to spread this message and educate the public are magazines such as this one. As regular reader and a potential utility vehicle user, there are some factors you should consider when selecting models, as well as a vehicle supplier.

• Let the utility vehicle’s distributor/dealer know the 3 E’s are important to you. Get the salesperson to specify how much energy each model requires, potential cost savings, actual cost per mile and impacts on the environment. Don’t settle for shiny brochures and specification sheets that gloss over what matters to your bottom line and the environment.
  
• Manufacturers that offer vehicles with the greatest utility are closely linked to their markets. This begins with their physical location, which plays a significant role in serving their distribution channel, as well as the end user. The mere fact that both users and distributors/dealers have direct access to the manufacturer provides the assurance of quick response to any questions, product concerns or service needs that might arise. For users in the United States and Canada, selecting North American manufacturers can be an advantage. Usually, they are more flexible, closer to their customers, able to respond rapidly and support the distribution channel – all more efficiently than off-shore suppliers.
• The only constant is change, so seek out manufacturers with a proven performance record and one that invests in new technology and product design. Markets for utility vehicles continue to expand and technology evolves rapidly. It’s wise to support a vehicle manufacture that’s been in the business a long time because it listens to its customers, even those with specific needs that could not be met last year’s electric utility vehicle. Many customers require custom solutions or modified vehicles. Leading manufacturers like Columbia work with their users so both the customer and the vehicle maker benefit.
• Ask for a demonstration from a full-service dealer/distributor. Factory-direct sales work for some products, but when it comes to utility vehicles, you might need more. Seeing is believing, so seek out distributors/dealers/manufacturers that offer complete demonstrations (at your facility or site), as well as training, support and service. A manufacturer with a well-trained, nationwide dealer/distributor is always a plus. That’s especially true if your organization has multiple facilities. You’ll want a manufacturer with an extensive dealer network, so vehicles can be serviced wherever you need to use them and you have the flexibility to move your fleet around. This is particularly important if you have peak needs in different areas of the country and want to shift vehicles to where they’re required at a specific time or season.

Because of the advantages electric-powered utility vehicles offer and the myriad applications where they increase efficiency, Wisconsin-based Columbia ParCar Corp. has charted a path that no longer includes vehicles powered by traditional combustion engines. Today, Columbia only offers the most efficient, electric powered products in an extensive line of more than 60 different, street-legal and non-road models which are distributed through its international organization of full-service dealers.

With more than six decades of electric vehicle experience, Columbia has developed products that are adaptable and can be customized to a specific customer’s needs while continuing to maximize energy savings, reduce environmental impact and perform within the customer’s economic requirements.  Companies and vehicles that do not provide this type of utility will not be long for the marketplace.

The 3 E’s of Energy, Environment and Economy are firmly fixed in our future — and should be in yours as well.

About the Author:

Scott Breckley is Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Columbia ParCar Corp. of Reedsburg Wisconsin  Since 2000. Scott holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration,and has 33 years of experience in the electric vehicle industry.