GE says it will purchase electric vehicles (EVs) for its own fleet and through its Capital Fleet Services business, and will convert at least half of its 30,000 global fleet, to deploy a total of 25,000 electric vehicles by 2015.
GE will initially purchase 12,000 GM vehicles, beginning with the Chevrolet Volt in 2011, and will add other vehicles as manufacturers expand their EV portfolios. GE and its partners will use a mix of EV technologies to meet their respective needs.
GE also notes that it has launched two EV customer-experience and learning centers to provide customers, employees and researchers firsthand access to EVs and developing technologies. One of the centers will be located outside Detroit, in Van Buren Township, Mich., as part of GE's Advanced Manufacturing and Software Technology Center. The other will be located at GE Capital's Fleet Services business headquarters in Eden Prairie, Minn., with several other centers to be announced in 2011.
The centers will monitor and evaluate vehicle performance and charging behaviors, driver experiences, service requirements and operational efficiencies, while also providing the opportunity to experience a variety of manufacturers and models, and gain insight into EV deployment.
SOURCE: GE
