Sponsor a vehicle conversion by a group of students, or an essay or art contest on plug-in issues

Solution Details:

Pain Point:  Consumers have a limited understanding of plug-ins

General Implementation Strategy:  Education

Primary Actors:  Business, Utility, City Government

Other solutions to this pain point:

• Host demo projects in your region to showcase plug-in technology
• Reach out to students of all levels
• Allow employees to volunteer and give plug-in related presentations to schools
• Invite educators or promising students to shadow plug-in using employees for a day
• Offer EVs for transportation days at schools
• Develop an plug-in curriculum for community colleges
• Create an plug-in fleet manager education program
• Provide information to car dealers on 'utility-side' aspect of owning an plug-in
• Ensure plug-ins are used as high-profile vehicles
• Hold a competition for the trial of a vehicle fleet engaging consumers through various mediums
• Early roll-out in taxi fleet, rental cars, corporate fleets.
• Virtual PHEVs from now to 2010
• Invite applicants to participate in an 'plug-in Field Trial'
• Traditional public service announcements
• Create emotional connection between consumer and 'Plug in Story'
• Show consumers how much money, gas and CO2 they'll be saving/spending
• Ensure marketing reflects the empowerment and fun associated with plug-ins
• Inform consumers of infrastructure implementation timeline well in advance
• Create targeted messaging for each stakeholder group
• Show consumers comparative environmental performance of plug-ins and other alternative energy vehicles
• Demonstrate charging technologies at community events
• Conduct plug-in ride and drives for policy makers and the general public
• Develop a quarterly newsletter to discuss EV issues
• Highlight plug-in impact on day to day convenience
• Focus on electric vehicle education
• Universities/colleges provide educational plug-in programs for students and consumers
• Provide a centralized hub for incentive information
• Communicate safety measures that are being undertaken in tandem with plug-in roll out
• Address potential health concerns through marketing campaign
• Showcase process for businesses to install infrastructure
• Include marketing message about plug ins with utility bills
• Promote vehicle reliability and long term commitment to technology
• Habituate consumers to charging at the right time
• Explain the electric system as a whole and how plub ins are a part of this system
• Convey the importance of off-peak charging
• Clearly outline life-cycle environmental impacts

Other solutions that fall into this general strategy:

• Reach out to students of all levels
• Allow employees to volunteer and give plug-in related presentations to schools
• Invite educators or promising students to shadow plug-in using employees for a day
• Offer EVs for transportation days at schools
• Develop an plug-in curriculum for community colleges
• Create an plug-in fleet manager education program

Other solutions for this primary actor:

• Free/reserved parking at retail, commercial and other private lots
• Provide consumers with access to a 'user support' house call service
• Corporate sponsor provides free life-time charging for x consumers
• Provide developers with information on charging infrastructure operation
• Bundle infrastructure contribution with plug-in purchase or lease
• Generate funds from a variety of sources
• Public investments in plug-in infrastructure match private-sector investments or vice versa
• Use the municipality tax base to pay
• Attach to existing, powered, curbside devices such as gas stations and light poles
• Convince local businesses to build charge spots to show environmental leadership
• Show parking lot owners how to make money by providing 'charge services'
• Use charging stations as a loss-leader
• Install chargers as employee/resident benefit
• Connector/service companies build infrastructure
• Fleets commit to buy a certain number of plug-ins
• Employers incentivize employee plug-in purchase, provide education and charge spots at work
• Allow employees to volunteer and give plug-in related presentations to schools
• Invite educators or promising students to shadow plug-in using employees for a day
• Pooled-purchase plug-in orders
• Help consumers understand full life-cycle value of battery
• Ensure plug-ins are used as high-profile vehicles
• Battery lease service
• Implement car share model
• Home charging station warranty
• Explore/support secondary battery markets
• Leverage the collaborative power of a dedicated project leader
• Establish connection between project manager and a point person on the local regions' economic development board
• Free desirable parking at major retail, entertainment, commercial lots, with or without charge spots
• Car comes with bike, bus pass, and light rail pass
• Early roll-out in taxi fleet, rental cars, corporate fleets.
• Hold a competition for the trial of a vehicle fleet engaging consumers through various mediums

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