EV ENTHUSIASTS REJOICE. News of battery powered electric vehicles might be taking a back seat to recent announcements about fuel cell vehicle development, but take heart, plug-in EV's are still alive and kicking.

Energy Conversion Devices (ECD), Lee Iacocca's EV Global Motors, and Unique Mobility have entered into a joint venture to manufacture battery-electric, hybrid-electric and fuel cell vehicles for world markets. The new company - Unique Europa - will be headquartered in Germany.

Unique Europa's first product will be an all new, purpose built minivan using a composite body structure, Unique Mobility's integrated permanent magnet traction drive, and energized by ECD's Ovonic nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries. The NiMH batteries should ensure a respectable range. The minivan will be available as a two passenger cargo van or 6 passenger commuter van.

Initially vehicles will be sold in Europe through selected Volkswagen dealers. Visit ECD at http://ovonic.com/ , EV Global Motors at http://www.evglobal.com/ ,and Unique Mobility at http://www.uqm.com/

Another recent entrant in the EV field is the Sparrow from Corbin-Pacific, better known as a maker of aftermarket motorcycle accessories. The Sparrow has one seat and three wheels. A 15 horsepower permanent magnet motor drives the single rear wheel to a top speed of 65 miles per hour. Recharge time for the 13 Optima spiral cell lead acid batteries is 2 hours and range is 30-60 miles. Equipped, not stripped, the Sparrow comes with power windows, heater, defroster, radio and CD player. The price? Only $12,900. Visit the Sparrow at http://www.ev-sparrow.com/ .

LA'S DIRTIEST GOES GREEN. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) has launched the "Green Power for a Green LA" Program which integrates energy efficiency devices with "green" power purchases - the end result being that residents' bills won't go up, and might even go down.

Components of the Program include:

-- LADWP customers will be encouraged to purchase 20 to 100 percent power from renewable resources. Green LA will carry a price premium average of about $3 a month for every $50 of a customer's energy bill. Small hydropower will be the power supply until new renewables can be built.

-- All Green LA customers will receive energy efficiency benefits offsetting the cost of green power. At the 20 percent level, for example, the $2-$5 increase in power costs will be offset by using energy efficient light bulbs.

-- Customers will be offered other options designed to lower energy use and bills, such as installation of energy efficient refrigerators and high efficiency air conditioning or heating equipment - all eligible for rebates that could cover up to 25 percent of total purchase price.

The nearly 100 year old company is the largest municipal utility in the nation with 3.6 million customers. However their current power mix is the dirtiest in California, with 60 percent of its electricity generated by coal. LADWP also spearheaded Quick Charge L.A., a program to establish or upgrade electric vehicle charging stations at nearly 200 public and private locations in the Los Angeles area. Visit LADWP at http://www.ladwp.com/ .

Back Issues ENERGIES...the free weekly e-letter of products, innovation, issues and education in clean, renewable and efficient energy. Visit Green Energy News on the Web at http://www.nrglink.com for past issues. For free subscription contact bmulliken@nrglink.com. Copyright Green Energy News Inc. 5/15/99 vol.4 no.6.