2012 Chevrolet Volt Becomes Centerpiece of Smart Community

Just the Facts:

• OnStar, General Motors and the 2012 Chevrolet Volt have become official partners of Pecan Street Inc., where residents in a Texas community have agreed to be part of a clean-energy smart grid test for sustainable living.
• GM calls it the greatest concentration of Chevrolet Volts in the world.
• «This partnership provides us with a unique opportunity to observe charging details with many real customers in a concentrated setting,» said Nick Pudar, an OnStar vice president, in a statement.

AUSTIN, Texas — Maybe it should be renamed «Chevrolet Volt-ville.» The largest concentration of Chevrolet Volts in the country will play a key role in helping Texas residents in a 700-acre planned community as they test the impact of «smart homes» and other green technology, like electronic vehicles.

GM calls it the greatest concentration of Chevrolet Volts in the world.

«This partnership provides us with a unique opportunity to observe charging details with many real customers in a concentrated setting,» said Nick Pudar, an OnStar vice president, in a statement.

OnStar and General Motors have become official partners of Pecan Street Inc., the country’s first nonprofit research and development consortia, where residents agreed to be part of a clean-energy smart grid test for sustainable living. The Mueller community, 3 miles outside Austin, provides a real-life lab for the automaker to observe charging patterns and how consumers and clean-energy technologies interact and support electric-vehicle charging. The project runs for five years.

While Chevrolet made 100 Volts available, only 55 of the community residents took advantage of the various tax credits, including a $7,500 federal tax credit and a $7,500 rebate from Pecan Street on their Volt purchases. Those leasing a Volt for three or more years received a $3,000 rebate.

«We’re gathering information from families’ vehicles throughout this community to find out the direct impact the Volt has on the grid and how to get drivers the lowest possible charging rates,» said Pudar. «This project will also help us develop future capabilities of the Volt and other plug-in electric vehicles. «

Pecan Street is funded by a $10.4 million grant from the Energy Department and more than $14 million in matching funds from project partners. Although Pecan Street oversees the consortia, it also includes researchers from the University of Texas, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the Environmental Defense Fund. It’s housed in the University of Texas at Austin.

Besides the Volt, residents will use smart appliances in conjunction with home-management systems and smart electric meters, energy storage that optimizes the use of solar power, clean energy distribution and green building construction.

«We hope Pecan Street’s research will speed up the innovation cycle around smart grid and consumer electronic technology,» said Pecan Street Inc. Executive Director Brewster McCracken, in a statement. «Electric vehicles represent a significant addition to a home’s energy profile, and understanding that impact and how consumers use and charge their vehicles is critically important.»

Inside Line says: The Chevrolet Volt found a new home in a ground-breaking test lab.

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