Today’s announcement that GE will be buying 25,000 electric vehicles for its fleet and fleet customers underscores how EV technology has leapt off the drawing board into daily life.
While GE’s home and public WattStation EV chargers have been getting the lion’s share of attention, GE’s technology is interconnected all along the EV infrastructure chain — from generating clean electricity to leading the smart grid transformation to increasing efficiency and reliability. The info-graphic below gives a high-level overview of how the whole system works — and what part GE plays.
Big picture: Click to enlarge. GE’s end-to-end smart grid solutions of circuit protection equipment, transformers, charging stations, and its fleet management business touch every part of the EV infrastructure. In addition to the EV-specific sectors outlined in the graphic, scientists at GE Global Research are also working on utility-scale battery technologies that will be able to store the intermittent energy produced by renewables like wind.
The so-called EV transformation — from both the utility side and the consumer side — will not only drive further clean-tech innovation, it will create jobs all along the EV supply chain. GE’s energy and tech teams see their involvement in the process as significant growth opportunity that’s expected to lead to up to $500 million in near-term business for GE.
The EV supply chain will also create jobs in other industries. For example, Michigan is already home to 16 advanced battery manufacturers and Governor Granholm has predicted that they will produce over 60,000 jobs in the next decade.
And while today’s news revolves around the business case for EV adoption, the positive environmental impact shouldn’t get lost in the shuffle. As you can see in the info-graphic below, switching to electric cars, or hybrids, can make a serious dent in our overall emissions.
Cleaner air: Click on the image to launch the data visualization. The figures look at Memorial Day driving habits and what would happen if gas-powered engines were replaced. Data: AAA’s 2010 and 2009 reports.
* Read our main story about GE’s plan to buy 25,000 EVs
* Read “Where Do I Plug It In? The Five Steps to Wiring Your Home for an EV” on GE Reports
* Use our online toolkits at www.ecomagination.com/evready
* Read more electric vehicle stories on GE Reports
