To: Professor Samantha MacBride
From: Megan Chiu
Date: March 18, 2013
Re: Timeline – Hybrid Cars to Mitigate Climate Change
Date Event
1800 Alesandro Volta discovered a way to chemically store electrical energy, improving on Luigi Galvani’s experiments with electrical currents (Høyer, 2008)
1821 Michael Farraday of Great Britain experimented with the electric generator as a motor for cars using Volta’s research (Høyer, 2008)
1831 Farraday developed the foundation for electric motors by experimenting with electrical induction, currents, and magnetism (Høyer, 2008)
1835 The first prototypes of electrical cars appeared in the United States, United Kingdom, and the Netherlands (Høyer, 2008)
1859 Gaston Planté of Belgium invented the lead-acid battery, which is still used in modern electric cars and internal combustion engines (ICE) (Høyer, 2008)
1881 France’s Trouvé invented an electric-powered tricycle. It was the first vehicle powered by electricity. Trouvé also invented an electric-powered boat. (Høyer, 2008)
1893 Six types of electric cars are presented at the World Exhibition in Chicago, Illinois (Høyer, 2008)
1897 Thirteen electric automobiles are introduced in New York (Høyer, 2008)
1900 Start of the “Golden Age” of electric car development. Electric companies developed and installed charging hydrants in New York City to charge electric-powered cars (Høyer, 2008)
Ferdinand Porsche introduces the hybrid car, a gasoline and electric car, at the Paris Exposition (Høyer, 2008)
1901 Thomas Edison invents the nickel-iron battery, capable of storing 40% more energy per weight unit than the lead-acid battery (Høyer, 2008)
French automobile company Jenatzy develops a parallel hybrid car, featuring a “petrol engine and an electric motor” (Høyer, 2008)
1912 The total number of electric cars in the United States reaches 30,000. Electric car sales top other car sales (Høyer, 2008)
1916 The American “Woods gasoline-electric car” makes its debut in the United States (Høyer, 2008)
1965 General Motors implements an “electric car development programme” and develops prototypes of zinc-air battery operated cars (Høyer, 2008)
1989 New York state government urges Washington to implement legislature to combat the high emission levels and air pollution in the city (“New York’s Air, Washington’s Duty,” 1989)
1993 President Clinton implements the “Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles” initiative, supporting the use of “clean cars” (“New York’s Air, Washington’s Duty,” 1989)
1997 Toyota introduces its Prius hybrid car sedan in Japan; Audi introduces its Duo hybrid car (Høyer, 2008)
1999 Honda introduces the first hybrid car in the United States, the Insight (Høyer, 2008)
2000 Toyota introduces its Prius hybrid in the United States (Høyer, 2008)
2003 Honda introduces its second hybrid car, an electric hybrid, the Civic Hybrid (Høyer, 2008)
2004 Ford introduces its Ford Escape hybrid, a “sport utility vehicle” (Høyer, 2008)
The American Lung Association of the City of New York reports that “’high levels of ozone and particle pollution caused by the cars, buses and trucks that clog our streets make the mere act of breathing dangerous for the residents of New York City.”’ This prompted research into emission reduction solutions for urban areas, using New York City as a focal point. (Columbia University – SIPA Spring Workshop, 2005)
2005 New York City vehicular traffic produce 11% of particulate matter (PM) emissions (Charles-Guzman, 2012)
Shell reports its intent to install a hydrogen service station to refuel hydrogen-fuel cell vehicles (Kaul, 2005)
2006 The federal government offered an income tax credit under PL 109-58 of up to 50% of the purchase price of an alternative fuel vehicle. It also offered an additional 30% worth of credit if the emission levels of the car were within a certain targeted range. The tax credit was available from January 1, 2006 until December 31, 2010. (Underwood, n.d.)
New York City implements the Solid Waste Management Plan, which “calls for strategies to reduce the impact of diesel fumes” in the city (Underwood, n.d.)
2007 NYC Truck Show – NYC Parks and Recreation Department presents its fleet of hybrid cars and alternative fuel vehicles. The Parks and Recreation Department vowed to purchase 48 new trucks with reduced fuel emission technology. The department also has 480 alternative-fuel vehicles. (Mele, 2007)
European Commission sets a standard to lower carbon dioxide missions by 2012 from 170 grams per kilometer to 130 grams per kilometer (“HYBRID-FUEL CARS – Hybrid,” 2007)
PlaNYC is introduced. Mayor Michael Bloomberg vows to make New York City the “greenest in the US by 2030” in part by using hybrid (fuel and electric) taxis (Grimes & Pimlott, 2007)
As part of PlaNYC, Mayor Bloomberg vows to reduce emissions by 30% in New York City. (Rahman, 2011)
Mayor Bloomberg announces that New York City’s entire taxi fleet will be composed solely of hybrid taxis by 2012. (Anonymous, 2007)
2010 New York City Parks and Recreation Department receives its first shipment of medium-duty hybrid trucks, beginning its transition to a green fleet (Anonymous, 2010)
2011 Federal and appellate courts ruled against New York City’s plan to create an all-hybrid taxi fleet. (Rahman, 2011)
2012 New York City approves the Nissan “Taxi of Tomorrow” initiative to eliminate half of the hybrid taxi fleet (Mann, 2012)
Kizzy Charles-Guzman of University of Michigan conducts a case study on New York City’s efforts to reduce air pollution (Charles-Guzman, 2012)
30% of New York City’s yellow taxi cab fleets have converted to hybrid or clean-fuel cars (Charles-Guzman, 2012)
Bibliography
Anonymous. (2007). NYC Taxi Fleet Fully Hybrid by 2012. Government Procurement, 15(3), 12.
Anonymous. (2010). NYC Parks take delivery of hybrids. Fleet Owner, 105(7), 21.
Charles-Guzman, K. M. (2012). Air Pollution Control Strategies in New York City: A Case Study of the Role of Environmental Monitoring, Data Analysis, and Stakeholder Networks in Comprehensive Government Policy Development. University of Michigan. Retrieved from http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu.remote.baruch.cuny.edu/handle/2027.42/94532
Columbia University – SIPA Spring Workshop, A. (2005). TRANSPORTING NEW YORK CITY. Retrieved from http://mpaenvironment.ei.columbia.edu/news/projects/NRDC%20Spring%20final%20report.pdf
Grimes, C., & Pimlott, D. (2007, May 23). Hybrid taxis latest step in New York’s bid for greenest city status: [LONDON 1ST EDITION]. Financial Times, p. 10. London (UK), United Kingdom.
Høyer, K. G. (2008). The history of alternative fuels in transportation: The case of electric and hybrid cars. Utilities Policy, 16(2), 63–71.
HYBRID-FUEL CARS – Hybrid: the motor of change? (2007). Marketing Week, 22–23.
Kaul, B. (2005, February 18). New Generation Fuel Cell Technology; GM, Shell hydrogen to introduce hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, refueling station. News India – Times, p. 16. New York, N.Y., United States.
Mann, T. (2012, September 20). New Cab Plan Curbs Hybrids. Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition, p. A.19. New York, N.Y., United States.
Mele, J. (2007). NYC shows off green technology. Fleet Owner, 102(7), 10.
New York’s Air, Washington’s Duty. (1989, August 10). New York Times. New York, N.Y., United States. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/abiglobal/docview/110264900/abstract/13CE58F35BA75E33155/11?accountid=8500
Rahman, H. (2011). NYC Taxi Ruling May Make Cities Tread Carefully. Planning, 77(6), 8.
Underwood, J. (n.d.). FUELING A GREENER FUTURE. Retrieved from http://energy-vision.org/images/2008/04/ev-fueling-a-greener-future.pdf
