The democrats held their press conference at Integrity Manufacturing plant in Bullitt County today with the CEO telling House Speaker Jody Richards, to his face, that state lawmakers must pass a law legalizing three wheel electric cars on Kentucky roads by the end of the year or he'll build his 300 employee electric car manufacturing plant elsewhere.
Randy Waldman says he wants to partner with ZAP Co. to build more electric cars. He wants to do it in Kentucky. But Kentucky is one of four states that don't allow three wheel covered vehicles on roadways. So Integrity needs a change in Kentucky law by the end of the year or they'll build the $30 million plant elsewhere. Waldman says it would send the wrong message to build electric cars in a state that doesn't allow them on the road.
All of this happened at the beat-the-republicans-to-the-punch news conference the dems held at Integrity on Tuesday, one day before two republican senators are scheduled to do the same thing. House Speaker Jody Richards says there won't be a special session to deal with Integrity's request but there may be a way to satisfy them. The dems news conference and tour of the plant was set up to try and help Rep. Larry Belcher who's in a tough reelection fight. But a winded Belcher arrived about ten minutes late to the news conference and said just a few words.
9 Comments
Brandon said:
Mark-
Would this require another special session?
Mark Hebert said:
According to the guys that want to manufacture this electric car, it would require another special session. They say, and the Speaker's lawyer agrees, that Kentucky law bars these vehicles from the roadways. But I don't see a special session happening just to pass a law to get an electric car factory. My guess is that Speaker Richards and Senate President Williams will agree to sign a letter saying they plan to pass legislation in the 2009 session allowing these vehicles on the road and hope that makes the company happy.
In addition to Kentucky, do you know what other three states do not allow three wheel covered vehicles?
kent beuchert said:
Don't you people ever research anything? Check wired.com for an expose on the ZAP motor company, a company recently sued by their franchisees for making frauduklent claims (their only business so far is to produce three wheeled neighborhood vehicles of doubful reliability and tons of press releases claiming the "imminent" production of unbelievably wonderful and cheap electric cars. Those claims are easily made, since ZAP has no plans on building any of them).
As I recall, those cars have 3 wheels in order to avoid federal safety regulations. So why won''t the Kentucky legislature be liable when people inevitably get crushed in these rolling coffins?
And how does one drive anywhere if you can only drive on 25 MPH roads?
Jim Anderson Stivers said:
This idea is just plain stupid.
These cars, by ZAP, are made in China right now.
And there is no way a major Insurance Carrier will insure for liability these THREE WHEEL COOLIES.
If such is passed. It would be shot down by the Insurance Companies and . . . if capable . . . the office of Consumer Affairs in the Attorney General Office.
Come on, can you see our AG . . . going head to head with Stevie over this? Don't think so.
Conway is a TEAM PLAYER. ?
It's a wrong headed idea conjured up with people who own a business that want the government to guarantee they will sell their three wheel SCOOTERS and open the roads to more people being killed. I understand these are not Interstate Highway vehicles . . But, most fatal accidents occur within 35 miles of ones home.
Can you imagine, an SUV hitting one of these COOLIES? How about a Rock Truck?
And what would be the cost of INSURANCE, IF AVAILABLE? These two guys, in the General Assembly have been drinking the Frankfort COOL AID.
It is utterly ridiculous that states laws to prohibit EVs even exist. Governments should be doing all that they can to encourage people to shift to EVs and other environment friendly vehicles which decrease people's dependence on oil. If these antiquated laws prevent industry from being set up, there is all the more reason to strike them down.
Jim Anderson Stivers said:
Motion.
Sometimes the government has to pass laws that prevent citizens from being taken advantage of by people that sell SNAKE OIL. (Three wheel, battery powered, CHINESE COOLIES.)
Yes, I agree we do need to reduce our dependence on oil from the MIDDLE EAST. But, . . . the USA won't do that . . . their best friends--- are the OIL BARONS.
And, that is a BIG SECRET isn't it?
If you doubt it, ask the parents of the 4,150 that have been killed in the Middle East due our hunger for OIL.
mk said:
This seems pretty absurd to me, after seeing the film "who killed the electric car", everybody know GM produced a completely street-worthy 4 wheeled electric car, the EV1, 20 yrs ago. Big Oil made them crush every one it was such a threat. We don't need the big car companies to alter our vehicles, we can do it ourselves.
Mark-
Would this require another special session?
According to the guys that want to manufacture this electric car, it would require another special session. They say, and the Speaker's lawyer agrees, that Kentucky law bars these vehicles from the roadways. But I don't see a special session happening just to pass a law to get an electric car factory. My guess is that Speaker Richards and Senate President Williams will agree to sign a letter saying they plan to pass legislation in the 2009 session allowing these vehicles on the road and hope that makes the company happy.
In addition to Kentucky, do you know what other three states do not allow three wheel covered vehicles?
Don't you people ever research anything? Check wired.com for an expose on the ZAP motor company, a company recently sued by their franchisees for making frauduklent claims (their only business so far is to produce three wheeled neighborhood vehicles of doubful reliability and tons of press releases claiming the "imminent" production of unbelievably wonderful and cheap electric cars. Those claims are easily made, since ZAP has no plans on building any of them).
As I recall, those cars have 3 wheels in order to avoid federal safety regulations. So why won''t the Kentucky legislature be liable when people inevitably get crushed in these rolling coffins?
And how does one drive anywhere if you can only drive on 25 MPH roads?
This idea is just plain stupid.
These cars, by ZAP, are made in China right now.
And there is no way a major Insurance Carrier will insure for liability these THREE WHEEL COOLIES.
If such is passed. It would be shot down by the Insurance Companies and . . . if capable . . . the office of Consumer Affairs in the Attorney General Office.
Come on, can you see our AG . . . going head to head with Stevie over this? Don't think so.
Conway is a TEAM PLAYER. ?
It's a wrong headed idea conjured up with people who own a business that want the government to guarantee they will sell their three wheel SCOOTERS and open the roads to more people being killed. I understand these are not Interstate Highway vehicles . . But, most fatal accidents occur within 35 miles of ones home.
Can you imagine, an SUV hitting one of these COOLIES? How about a Rock Truck?
And what would be the cost of INSURANCE, IF AVAILABLE? These two guys, in the General Assembly have been drinking the Frankfort COOL AID.
Please read this before you jump on the Zap bandwagon!
http://www.wired.com/cars/futuretransport/magazine/16-04/ff_zapped?currentPage=1
It is utterly ridiculous that states laws to prohibit EVs even exist. Governments should be doing all that they can to encourage people to shift to EVs and other environment friendly vehicles which decrease people's dependence on oil. If these antiquated laws prevent industry from being set up, there is all the more reason to strike them down.
Motion.
Sometimes the government has to pass laws that prevent citizens from being taken advantage of by people that sell SNAKE OIL. (Three wheel, battery powered, CHINESE COOLIES.)
Yes, I agree we do need to reduce our dependence on oil from the MIDDLE EAST. But, . . . the USA won't do that . . . their best friends--- are the OIL BARONS.
And, that is a BIG SECRET isn't it?
If you doubt it, ask the parents of the 4,150 that have been killed in the Middle East due our hunger for OIL.
This seems pretty absurd to me, after seeing the film "who killed the electric car", everybody know GM produced a completely street-worthy 4 wheeled electric car, the EV1, 20 yrs ago. Big Oil made them crush every one it was such a threat. We don't need the big car companies to alter our vehicles, we can do it ourselves.