I visited GreenTech Automotive last month. Here are a few musings after that trip:
“Coming to work at GreenTech Automotive is a life changing event.” Senior Director of Operations Steven Richardson is proud of his new factory and his staff. His brand new factory began turning out all electric enforcement vehicles in the fall of 2015. “We are proud of the community and the community is proud of us,” he adds about Tunica, MS, home of the assembly plant.
GreenTech located in this northern Mississippi area, just 45 minutes south of Memphis, TN. The former cotton growing area is dotted with factories. A former Toyota senior manager, Richardson sees locating in Tunica as “coming home.”
“We hire local people who work to build the finest electric enforcement vehicle on the market. These folks have tremendous pride in their product and their factory.”
The “MyCar” a fully enclosed electric vehicle that can carry two people and has a top speed of 35 mph, is rated for 65 miles between charging. “It”s a perfect vehicle for parking enforcement,” says sales manager Kevin Ruddy, who took his first drive in a “MyCar” while PT was visiting the Tunica facility. “This vehicle really says “wow.”
“We employ local managers and empower them to make decisions on their own,” says Richardson. The company”s daily management meeting reflects this approach.
The managers meet on the assembly area floor and review “where we are” in each of their disciplines. At a recent meeting the warehouse manager expressed concerns about storing components in containers outside the air conditioned warehouse. “I’ll have to ensure that those items we place outside can take the high heat that occurs inside the steel containers.” She said. “I”ll begin research and coordination with the suppliers.”
Another manager expressed concern that the final assembled vehicle was two kilos over weight. “We will have to engineer five pounds out of the vehicle,” he said. “The design engineers attending the meeting made note.
The MyCar was originally designed by the renowned European automobile designer Georgetto Guigiaro and immediately won the European Green Fleet award.
According to Richardson, GreenTech Automotive collaborated with American racecar maker Panoz Automotive, British sports car maker Lotus engineering, and a team of former Porsche engineers to deliver a world class fleet vehicle.
Based on vehicle usage and electricity rates, recharging the MyCar averages $1.40 per charge and can be charged via any 110/220 AC volt wall outlet, using the industry standard J1772 connector.The MyCar includes amenities like heating, air conditioning, and power windows.
Richardson noted that the facility in Tunica was in “boot camp.” The employees were setting up assembly systems and becoming familiar with the operation of the plant. At full complement, over 200 people will be working at the facility.
“We have moved a state of the art assembly facility into the delta region of Mississippi. We did so because we knew that there was a talented pool of employees who could turn out quality products. Not only are we proud of our staff, but they are proud of Greentech and want to be a part of the electric car.
Then he let me drive one. Its purpose built. It feels like a regular car, because it is. Its fun and easy to drive. It fits the needs of an operation where a standard vehicle is overkill.
Look into electric for your operation. It might just do the job.
JVH
One Response
Hybrids are great and all but eventually we will HAVE TO get off of our deednpency on oil COMPLETELY. Hybrids are a great solution for now as they use electricity and gas and achieve great mileage. But at some point down the road, oil will completely run and we will have to depend completely on electric power. Like the previous poster mentioned, even electricity has to come from somewhere. I believe the key is to start using renewable power sources for our power plants. Such as solar power, wind power, hydro, geo-thermal, anything that occurs naturally and is limitless in supply. That is the key to making electric cars mass market and successful.