Electric Vehicles: Is Kentucky Ready to Run?

Friday, October 21, 2011

9:00 a.m. - 2:00 pm ET

Aristides Room - Churchill Downs

Louisville, KY

Two representatives from each KCFC member may attend for free.

Registration for all other attendees is $100.

View the agenda and register.

GE and Coca-Cola Among Newest Members of National Clean Fleets Partnership

Six new corporate partners have joined the National Clean Fleets Partnership: Coca-Cola, Enterprise Holdings, General Electric, OSRAM SYLVANIA, Ryder and Staples. Their combined fleets total over one million vehicles.

Under the partnership, each company will work with DOE to develop a comprehensive strategy to reduce petroleum and diesel use in their fleets. DOE will also help connect partners with clean fuel providers and equipment manufacturers where their fleets operate.

Kentucky Corn Growers Celebrate Use of American Ethanol and Hometown Track

One-hundred thousand NASCAR fans were able to see the performance benefits of Sunoco Green E15, the racing fuel with 15% ethanol, as cars raced round the Kentucky Speedway track this past weekend. Kentucky's corn farmers attended to celebrate and help spread the good word about the domestic, farm-raised fuel. NASCAR announced they would use E15 in all of the race cars last fall. A partnership between NASCAR, Growth Energy and the National Corn Growers Association - called American Ethanol - works to promote the fuel's benefits. Drivers and racing teams are pleased with the fuel so far, as they are seeing increased horsepower. NASCAR is pleased with the environmental benefits.

Photos from Kentucky Speedway | Kentucky Corn Growers Press Release

Campbell County Receives Hybrid Electric School Bus

Todd Cunningham of Whayne Supply presented the key to Transportation Director Todd Colvin for the first hybrid electric school bus in Campbell County. Technicians received training about the bus on site.

View the Video News Story About the Hybrid Bus Delivery

Clean Cities TV Features Kentucky Hybrid Horse Power Program

Check out this special video feature on Kentucky’s hybrid school buses at Clean Cities TV:

View the video on the CleanCities.tv channel

E15 Rolls into Kentucky Next Week with NASCAR

NASCAR fans will get a little more familiar with American-made ethanol fuel blends next week as three series races are being held at the Kentucky Speedway track in Sparta, July 7-9. Late last year, NASCAR announced they would be using E15 (blend of 15% ethanol) in their Sunoco racing gasoline in all cars and all races throughout the 2011 racing season. Through a partnership with Growth Energy and the National Corn Growers Association, the fuel is being promoted very well by drivers and promotions. The Kentucky Corn Growers Association will be making an appearance at the race track to celebrate the use of the corn-based fuel. A combine (machinery that harvests corn) will be set up in the display area to remind fans of the fuel's connection to rural America.

For more information, visit http://www.kycorn.org/aboutkycga/americanethanol.htm

Think Files for Bankruptcy

The future is unclear for Think North America, which has an electric vehicle production plant in Elkhart, IN, after the company’s headquarters in Norway filed for bankruptcy last week. Despite being a separate entity, Think North America faces an unstable future because it is financially supported by the Norwegian headquarters.
Think has fallen upon hard times in the past, this being the fourth time it has filed for bankruptcy in its twenty years of operation. The future options for Think include a liquidation of its assets or the sale of the company to a new investor. Currently management has been turned over to Oslo-based commercial law firm Thommessen.