Two Alumni On Hand as Electric Car Pilot Program is Launched

September 16, 2010

September 16, 2010, Greencastle, Ind. — Duke Energy, based in Plainfield, Indiana, "has partnered with Project Plug-IN to launch a pilot program that is geared toward making an electrical commute possible for more U.S. drivers," notes the Hendricks County Flyer. The utility is looking "to either purchase some of the vehicles as part of its corporate fleet, or offer the vehicles to employees at a discounted price to use in a study on their impact on electrical systems."

”One of the main reasons we participate is that we’re very interested in how the electric vehicle will interface with our electrical grid,” says Angeline (Shaneff) Protogere, spokeswoman for Duke Energy and 1984 graduate of DePauw University.

"Project Plug-IN is a demonstration project for electric vehicles in Indianapolis and surrounding regions and is organized by Energy Systems Network (ESN), an initiative of Central Indiana Corporate Partnership," reports Courtney Essett. "THINK, the eco-friendly car company that manufactures the THINK City vehicle, has put down roots in Indiana to test the vehicles here. THINK has partnered with Indianapolis based Enerdel to produce the lithium ion batteries that power the vehicles, and earlier this year announced plans to begin production of the car in Elkhart in 2011. Indiana is currently the only state where the vehicles are being tested."

Also on hand for tests of the electric vehicles this week was Indiana Secretary of Commerce Mitch Roob, a 1983 DePauw graduate.  "It's produced in Indiana, with an Indiana battery, backed by an Indiana company," Roob tells the newspaper. "This is proof-positive that the governor was right when he said Indiana will be the electric vehicle capital of the world."

Read more about the project and the cars --which will go on sale to the public later this year -- at the Flyer's Web site.

Roob also discussed Project Plug-IN on TV's Inside Indiana Business wit Gerry Dick.

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