Last CAB Volt Meet Up in SoCal Feb 5

[ColinSummers]

As seen on the Voltage site, we're doing one last meet up here on the West Coast before the CAB members have to return their cars.

It will be on Saturday, February 5, starting at 10am at GM's facility in Burbank (where we initially took possession of our Volts). We're expecting a pretty large group of Volts, MINI-E cars, Teslas and Leaves. Last time a few Rav4's showed up, too.

We will then road rally to Southern California Edison's Customer Technology Application Center facility, and get a tour of it with Ed Kjaer, who works for Edison and is a CAB member.

I hope to see some of you there.

[RDO CA]

Colin
I hope that the SCE guy will listen to the many Volt owners that have older homes or have a electrical closet the does not work well to add a 2nd meter. I have had SCE and city inspectors and electricians out and it looks like the cost to add a second meter is prohibitive. My home was built in 1990 and has a 200 amp service but SCE has changed their rules since then and are very hard to work with to get a meter installed. In the desert I can't use the whole house rate as we can't turn off the AC in the summer and it would put us in the 57cent rate. I will be in the 31 cent rate many months with the standard rate and cant get a 2nd meter.
I would like SCE to think of a new rate structure where they give a different standard rate for those who have an EV( change the tiers) maybe figure EV use and give a larger base so we can have an EV without a huge penalty.
I have called in to their EV people but don't get a good feeling that they care much.

Roy
#272

[sgc]

Colin...do you expect a tour of the GM facility too? If so, I am more likely to drive the extra 25 miles to burbank; if not, I might just show up at SCE......from my direction in the IE, going to Burbank, and then doubling back to Irwindale is about 50 miles....thanks

[TinManNFO]

I looked at the info on the CAB site, but I had one question: at the Burbank facility, is this sort of an open house where one can just walk in, or is it one of those situations where where you have to check in and wear a visitor badge for the facility or something similar?

[sgc]

Attended the event today and it was great! Very friendly crowd, and about a dozen Teslas showed up, some all electric RAV 4's, two Leafs [Leaves??] and some great conversations. Thank you CAB folks and GM.

[Rusty]

Hmmm I must count different then you do. I counted:

14 Volts (4 of them CAB?)
8 Teslas (6 of them parked in a row, next to my #95).
5 Leafs
4 RAV4-EVs (2 from the host site?)
1 Home Conversion (a 2002 VW?)
---
32 EVs and EREVs on site.

The host site had something like 8 J1772 chargers and 3 of the paddle chargers. 4 of the Leafs wanted charging (with a Volt and the home conversion giving up a spot for them - the home conversion having already filled up his lead acids). The Tesla folk, for the most part, where like "no, we don't need to bother" :-)

[yblaser]

Hmmm I must count different then you do. I counted:

14 Volts (4 of them CAB?)
8 Teslas (6 of them parked in a row, next to my #95).
5 Leafs
4 RAV4-EVs (2 from the host site?)
1 Home Conversion (a 2002 VW?)
---
32 EVs and EREVs on site.

The host site had something like 8 J1772 chargers and 3 of the paddle chargers. 4 of the Leafs wanted charging (with a Volt and the home conversion giving up a spot for them - the home conversion having already filled up his lead acids). The Tesla folk, for the most part, where like "no, we don't need to bother" :-)

Don't forget that there were a few MINI-E's there (my other car is a regular MINI so I got to represent). I saw one plugged into a 110V outlet out front. I also saw what I think was an electric S-10 pickup. Was that a home conversion as well? (edit-I see that they actually produced this vehicle in 97-98... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_S-10_EV... must be one of the 60 that were not crushed). There was also the vehicle that looked like the e-Tracer but it appeared to have a tailpipe.

[Rusty]

I also saw what I think was an electric S-10 pickup. Was that a home conversion as well?

Probably, and the owner was talking about his VW conversion when he was showing it off, and I just wasn't paying attention. I think it was his own creation. He'd done some charging before the CAB roadshow arrived and was showing under the hood. It has a J1772 charge interface to 7 lead acid batteries.

[Mark Z]

Just got the photos up on the web. Wish everyone from the site had GM-Volt name tags. A great time enjoyed by all and kudos to Edison for the free lunch and tour.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mark-z/...7625861178675/

The film crew was filming for the GM website. It will be interesting to see if the filming of the caravan of Volts on the freeway will make the final cut.

The most ironic moment was to be departing today from the same location as the EV-1 protest years ago. It was very satisfying to be turning right instead of left as the big rigs did when hauling the EV-1's away. The caravan of Volts and EV's seen today is the beginning of a new chapter in automotive history.

[sgc]

Great pics MarkZ! Thank you for taking them and sharing. Nice to meet you, too.