Projects

For over a decade, Plug-In North Central Washington has spearheaded many projects to demonstrate how electric vehicles can benefit local communities. The following are a selection of those projects.

Privately Funded High Speed Rural Charging Network

One of our most recent programs revolves around PINCW acting as an entity to accept charitable donations towards the purchase of high amperage Level 2 (haL2) electric vehicle charging stations, providing planning support to help get them installed in strategically chosen locations in North Central Washington, and then providing the stations free of charge as a three-year "lease" to businesses or organizations that would like to act as the caretakers of these stations for a set period of time.

POLARIS EV RANGER CONVERSION TO LITHIUM-ION

Another brain-child of our haL2 Project Coordinator Jack Anderson begins to take shape as he completes the conversion of his Polaris EV Ranger from Lead Acid to Lithium-Ion batteries.

TROY-BILT ROTOTILLER CONVERSION

Plug-In Board Member Randy Brooks and haL2 Project Coordinator Jack Anderson built a proof-of-concept conversion of a Troy-Bilt Rototiller. One of the many examples of everyday combustion engine tools that work just as well - if not better - when powered by batteries.

PHEV Pilot Project - Electrify Transportation in Washington

The Port of Chelan County coordinated the PluginCenter PHEV Pilot Project for Washington State. The Pilot Project featured 14 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrids (conversions from conventional Priuses) owned by different fleets across Washington. In 2007, a collaborative team worked to determine ways to electrify transportation in Washington. The Port of Chelan County was part of this team which created the “Electrify Transportation Briefing Book,” which summarizes many opportunities for electrifying transportation.

Prius Plug-in Conversion

In Fall 2006, volunteers with the PluginCenter/Advanced Vehicle Innovations consortium and members of the Wenatchee Electric Vehicle Association converted the Port of Chelan County’s Toyota Prius into a Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle.

Plug-in Hybrid School Bus

The Lake Chelan School District in Chelan is one of 19 districts in 11 states contracted to receive a hybrid (diesel and electric) school bus in 2007 from IC Corporation. The bus will be configured for plug-in hybrid electric technology. When not in electric mode, it will run on low-sulfur diesel blended with biodiesel. The Port of Chelan County’s Advanced Vehicle Innovations assisted the school district with this project.