Is the Zero-Emissions Vehicle Initiative Picking up Speed?

A zero-emissions vehicle (ZEV) is an automobile that releases zero tailpipe pollution from its’ onboard source of power. The need for zero-emission vehicles is apparent, as we look to protect our environment. The International Zero-Emission Vehicle Alliance (ZEV Alliance) is a conglomeration of several national governments who’ve come together to develop and promote ZEV technology. Their goals are progressive and ambitious, but never too far out of reality’s reach. ZEV alliance members act independently in pursuit of their individual goals, yet as a collective when it comes to the general advancement of ZEVs.

The Driving Force Behind ZEVs

Powered by an electric motor, battery-powered vehicles are rechargeable and eco-friendly. These vehicles don’t require traditional combustion engines. Rather, they function by passing electrical energy from the battery through wire coils located in the engine creating magnetic fields. This magnetic reaction rotates rotors, moving the wheels and thus propelling the vehicle. When the vehicle decelerates, the process runs in reverse. The motor is used to slow the vehicle down, essentially operating as a miniature generator using the vehicle’s own inertia to charge the battery. The process is called regenerative braking and it can add up to 10 miles to the vehicle’s fuel range. Since electric vehicles use magnetic fields to create their own power, they don’t produce tailpipe emissions. Currently, most ZEVs offer traveling ranges of over 100 miles.

ZEVs in the Market

There’s more to the zero-emission initiative than imagination and idealism; there have been some tangible results as the vehicles skyrocket in popularity. In November of 2014, the Renault-Nissan Alliance sold its 200,000^th zero-emission car. The Nissan LEAF is the top-selling electric vehicle worldwide with sales steadily increasing annually. Renault-Nissan ZEV’s have collectively been driven about 4 billion kilometers, so people are buying ZEV’s and getting them on the road. ZEVs can offer businesses new alternatives for reducing transportation costs and Actsoft technology can help protect their eco-friendly investments.

Keeping Track of Assets with Actsoft

Actsoft’s Comet Fleet technology provides accurate GPS tracking, which reveals vehicle locations, traveling directions and historical routes to decision makers back in the office. When analyzed, this information makes dispatching more efficient and that can raise your company’s overall productivity. Actsoft’s Asset Tracker uses GPS positioning and motion-based technology to keep an eye on company vehicles for security purposes. As efficient as they are, ZEVs aren’t currently topping lists for most stolen vehicles, but it’s always a good business practice for supervisors to know where their assets are. Comet Fleet can also be used to review the time ZEVs spend stopped during routes and that can improve travel efficiency in addition to keeping company vehicles on roads longer.

Management can set alerts and reports to let them know when high-value assets are on the move. Trackers can be installed in vehicles to immediately reveal their locations and supervisors can choose to receive real-time updates on asset movement daily, or they can set specific notification parameters.

ZEVs can potentially save companies thousands of dollars in fuel costs annually if they’re used as fleet vehicles. Even though the savings could be ludicrous, the vehicles still require routine maintenance to remain operational. Actsoft’s Comet Suite applications can provide detailed insight into vehicle statuses, keeping them functional and safe for drivers.

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