Today’s Chicago Tribune includes a report on I-GO’s groundbreaking $2.5 million electric vehicle project that will add 36 all-electric vehicles to the I-GO fleet.
“Once completed,” writes reporter Julie Wernau, “I-GO will have the largest electric vehicle fleet in the Midwest, and it will use more solar power to charge electric vehicles than anywhere else in the country.”
I-GO announces locations for electric vehicle charging stations http://t.co/br8AaYjO
@AutoShare Thanks, Canadian car-sharing colleague!
@arun_76 We think so too! Thanks for the RT, Arun!
Just one day left to RSVP for I-GO’s Chicago Shares Celebration holiday bash. Come ho, ho, ho with I-GO. http://t.co/O1yxseCx
Here comes the sun, doo-do-doo-do, and I-GO says, it’s alright! http://t.co/BJtNuhvs
@erinbaynes I-GO loves you too, Erin! Glad to hear our day-rate car option works so well for you!
I-GO Car Sharing Launches Groundbreaking Solar-Powered Electric Vehicle Project
Will Become National Leader in Using Clean Solar Power to Charge Its Electric Fleet
CHICAGO (November 30, 2011)— I-GO Car Sharing, Chicago’s nonprofit car sharing organization, has launched a $2.5 million electric vehicle project that will add 36 all-electric vehicles to its fleet and 18 solar charging stations providing clean power to its cars. Once completed, I-GO will have the largest electric vehicle fleet in the Midwest, and it will use more solar power to charge electric vehicles than anywhere else in the country.
“I-GO is committed to being at the forefront of car sharing technology and sustainability, and providing pollution-free electric vehicles to our members is part of that commitment,” said Sharon Feigon, CEO of I-GO “Our forward-looking public and private sector partners understand the value of clean transportation options and are working with I-GO to make them available to their customers and constituents.”
I-GO is today announcing the locations of 11 solar-powered charging stations throughout the Chicago region, including several JEWEL-OSCO stores, the Illinois Institute of Technology, the Village of Oak Park, the City of Evanston, and Uncommon Ground restaurant. The remaining seven locations will be announced soon. The canopies will be installed in early 2012.
Each solar charging station will form a canopy that covers four parking spaces and will be able to power two electric vehicles. Two spaces will be reserved for I-GO at each location, and the others will be available to the public. Each canopy will be topped with 44 solar panels, for a capacity of 10 kilowatts. In aggregate, the canopies will produce about 200,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity annually, which will power as much as 600,000 miles driven per year. As a result, I-GO and its members could save as many as 17,000 gallons of gasoline each year. The company 350Green will install the solar canopies. To see a rendering of the canopies, visit: http://www.igocars.org/2011/11/30/solar-canopies/
“We are committed to serving our customers in the greenest way possible, and providing solar-powered electric car sharing is a fun and innovative way for us to achieve that goal,” said JEWEL-OSCO President Brian Huff. “With I-GO and the accompanying charging stations, many of our customers who do not own cars will have a convenient way to take their groceries home, while also lowering their carbon footprint by using solar-powered electric vehicles.”
The solar canopy locations include
I-GO’s solar-powered electric vehicle project has been made possible by grants from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), the Chicago Area Clean Cities Partnership, and the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation.
Formed in 2002, I-GO has 15,000 members and more than 200 locations in 35 neighborhoods and four suburbs throughout the Chicago region. Members pay for cars by the hour (around $8.50), and gas is included in the hourly fee (as is insurance). A typical I-GO member spends about $2,520 per year on transportation, roughly $5,000 less than what the average American spends annually to own, operate, and maintain a car.
I-GO offers a joint smart card with the CTA that allows a seamless transfer between public transit and an I-GO vehicle. The Chicago Card Plus I-GO card is the only one of its kind in the nation. Seventy-three percent of I-GO members either sell a car or postpone a decision to buy one after joining I-GO.
In addition to saving its members money, I-GO reduces traffic congestion, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, improves air quality, and promotes healthy lifestyles and neighborhoods. To join I-GO, visit igocars.org
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CONTACT:
Emily Robinson, Center for Neighborhood Technology, 773.269.4043, erobinson@cnt.org
Michelle Thoma, I-GO Car Sharing, 773-269-2212, mthoma@igocars.org
I-GO Car Sharing is dedicated to creating a robust and seamlessly integrated transportation system that is ubiquitous, convenient, and affordable for individuals, and provides the region with expanded economic development opportunities and exemplary environmental performance. I-GO is an affiliate of the Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT). www.igocars.org/
We’re looking forward to riding the new rail cars with the I-GO/CTA Chicago Card Plus! http://t.co/uSYlDzoH http://t.co/7IB1OD1w @ctatweet
Thanks to Bull & Bear for hosting the after party for I-GO’s Chicago Shares Celebration Dec. 1. Cheers! http://t.co/6AJjHzfc @BullBearBar
Scram, Scrooge! Old Orchard offers I-GO members reserved parking & exclusive shopping discounts this holiday season. http://t.co/DqoT7CrK
You already know about car sharing, but what about all of the other opportunities in Chicago to collaboratively save money and reduce your carbon footprint? Come to the “Sharing Celebration” to mingle with other enthusiasts, and explore a bounty of knowledge on this transformative sector.
Enjoy savory eats, festive drinks, FREE entry to the Mart’s One of a Kind Show and Sale, and amazing raffle prizes from:
Extreme Organizing, Green Home Experts, Joffrey Ballet, Hotel Allegro, Newleaf Natural Grocery, Painted Light Photos & Framing, Uncommon Ground, Bark Bark Club, El Cid, M2 Boutique, Katherine Anne Confections and more!
Bring your friends, family, and colleagues who want to join I-GO: The first 10 people to join at the party pay only a $25 application fee ($50 savings) and receive a bonus, $50 of driving credits!
Cost to Attend:
Free for I-GO Members
$5 – Friends, Family, Colleagues of I-GO Members; and Constituents of Sharing Fair Participants
$10 – General Admission
Pre-Registration Requested. Register Now.
The I-GO Team
Thank you to Merchandise Mart Properties, Sierra Nevada, Eli’s Cheesecake, Christina Frances Photography, and the One of A Kind Show for their generous contributions.
@TweeEOofTweet Fantastic! Congrats on joining I-GO! Please spread the good word!
I-GO Car Sharing is a Groupon deal today! $30 gets you a 1-year membership PLUS $30 in driving credit ($105 value)! http://t.co/qRZClEeK
Whether the holiday brings to mind pilgrims and Native Americans or gratitude for blessings in your own life, Thanksgiving is a great time to celebrate community service. With that sentiment in mind, I-GO is holding a Thanksgiving photo contest for I-GO members and awarding the winner $100 in the form of a donation to a charity or non-profit org for which they volunteer. Simply send us a photo of yourself performing volunteer work for that organization, and I-GO will chip in with a token of our appreciation for your selfless effort. Deadline for entries is Wed., Nov. 23. As a community-based, non-profit service, we think it’s important to support and recognize community service of all types. And, of course, we’re thankful to have you as an I-GO member!
All presents & accounted for at Old Orchard! http://t.co/qXfj3w3c
Finding parking at shopping centers during the holidays can be exasperating. Not so for I-GO members headed to Skokie’s Westfield Old Orchard, which recently designated two reserved parking spaces just for I-GO cars. The spaces are conveniently located across from Toms-Price Home Furnishings, near The Cheesecake Factory, on the north end of the shopping center. It’s just the latest amenity in I-GO’s relationship with Skokie, which also has an I-GO car location across from Village Hall at 5156 Oakton Ave. (a red Honda Insight hatchback hybrid, ID# 4449).
From Nov. 25 through Dec. 31, I-GO members also get a VIP card with exclusive savings at participating Westfield Old Orchard shops and restaurants when they show their membership cards at the Westfield Concierge, located on the upper level of the Service Collection area between the play area and Champps Restaurant on the mall’s west side.
During this time, I-GO members who shop at Westfield Old Orchard can also enter to win a “Let’s Go I-GO” commuter prize pack featuring a $100 Westfield Gift Card plus an L.L. Bean tote filled with everything a commuter needs. Look for the entry form and contest drop box at the concierge desk.
Here are the participants offering VIP discounts to I-GO members:
Reports Trib Local’s Jim Jaworski:
“[Oak Park Village's board] approved a deal [Monday] with I-GO and 350 Green, a Los Angeles-based company that installs electric car recharging stations, which will create two solar-powered canopies to recharge vehicles. One will be at in the parking lot of Village Hall, 123 Madison St., and the other will be installed on North Boulevard between Marion Street and Forest Avenue.”
“Each station will have four spots, two for I-GO cars and two for the public. Members of the public can use the stations by signing on for a monthly membership with 350 Green or pay-as-you-go by calling a number listed at the station. Each canopy will have three charges that can replenish a vehicle in three to eight hours and one high-powered charger that can fill a battery in less than an hour.”
Two new solar projects coming to Oak Park – http://t.co/ndpyqEwf via @TribLocal
I-GO is happy to plug a Revenge of the Electric Car special screening this Friday. Join us at the Siskel! http://t.co/V5GHAyg6
Doc film director Chris Paine’s 2006 exposé, Who Killed the Electric Car?, was an eye-opener, laying bare U.S. automakers’ resistance to electric-battery-powered vehicles, specifically GM’s EV1 in the mid 1990s. Five years later, Paine is back with a sequel that couldn’t be more timely: Revenge of the Electric Car, which follows four fascinating EV industry personalities in their pursuit of a transformed automotive culture.
I-GO is co-sponsoring a special screening of the film at the Gene Siskel Film Center this Friday, Nov. 11, at 6pm. Co-sponsors include the University of Chicago, Sierra Club’s Illinois Chapter, and Mindful Metropolis. The film will be followed by a panel discussion featuring executive producer Stefano Durdic; James Salle, Assistant Professor at the Harris School of Public Policy, University of Chicago; and Jack Darin, Director, Sierra Club Illinois Chapter. Join us, the panelists, and 11th district State Representative Ann Williams before the film at 5 p.m., for a reception with cash bar in the Film Center’s gallery/café.
I-GO is making major strides of its own to bring electric cars to the Chicago area. We will be deploying 36 electric vehicles with solar charging canopies across the metro area. Just this week, we finalized an agreement to build two solar-powered EV charging stations in Oak Park.
As an environmentally focused organized, we think EVs and car sharing are an ideal match and a fantastic way to raise public awareness of the renewable-energy revolution on our doorstep. Come join us at the film screening and learn more!
WATCH THE TRAILER:
The Merchandise Mart, 15th Floor, Market Square Library Room
Thursday, December 1, 5:30-8pm
222 W. Merchandise Mart Plaza, Chicago
Hobnob with fellow members and Chicago’s leading sharing institutions at I-GO’s “Chicago Shares Celebration!”
Amid festive entertainment, get a sneak peek of I-GO’s exciting plans for 2012, our 10th anniversary! New to the party this year, a Sharing Fair provides you with the opportunity to expand your knowledge of the many facets of Chicago’s emerging sharing economy.
Enjoy savory eats, festive drinks, and amazing raffle prizes. As always, attendees will receive FREE entry to the Mart’s One of a Kind Show and Sale.
Bring your friends, family, and colleagues who want to join I-GO: The first 10 people to join at the party pay only a $25 application fee ($50 savings) and receive a bonus, $50 of driving credits!
Join us directly after the event at Bull & Bear for the Official After Party and enjoy one complimentary drink upon arrival!
Cost to Attend:
Free for I-GO Members
$5 – Friends, Family, Colleagues of I-GO Members; and Constituents of Sharing Fair Participants
$10 – General Admission
Pre-Registration Requested. Register Now.
Happy holidays from the I-GO Team !
Thank you to Merchandise Mart Properties, Sierra Nevada, Eli’s Cheesecake, Joffrey Ballet, Hotel Allegro, Bull & Bear, and Christina Frances Photography for their generous contributions.
Directions to the Merchandise Mart:
By CTA Train
Brown Line to Merchandise Mart station
Blue, Orange, Pink, Green lines to Clark/Lake station
Red Line to Lake or Grand stations
By CTA Bus
#65 Grand, #22 Clark, #125 Water Tower Express, #156 LaSalle and many other downtown bus routes
By Metra
Ogilvie Transportation Center and Union Station are less than a mile from the Mart.
For detailed travel information: www.transitchicago.com (CTA) and www.goroo.com (RTA)
5,000 bicycles in Chicago’s planned bike-sharing program by 2013? Holy spokes! http://t.co/YGFsyt2T
Red Line rehab plans announced http://t.co/B12lCLNf
We know how busy everyone’s lives get around the holidays, so we’re giving you advance notice for an exciting event we are planning. Got your calendar out? Here are the details:
I-GO’s Chicago Shares Celebration
Thurs, Dec 1, 5:30-8:30pm
Merchandise Mart, 15th Floor
We’ll have savory food and drinks, music, raffle prizes, and Chicago’s very first “Sharing Fair” where you can expand your knowledge of the many facets of Chicago’s emerging sharing economy.
Guests will also receive free tickets to the Mart’s One of a Kind Show & Sale, featuring inspired gifts by more than 600 artists and artisans from all over North America.
It’s sure to be a great time, so don’t miss out! I-GO members: Look for a formal invite very soon.
Grazing for green gifts this holiday? Look no further than Mindful Metropolis (and I-GO certificates!) http://t.co/8HbPYSHa @MindfulMetro
Sign up now for our monthly newsletter and other mailings on special offers, new developments, and exciting initiatives at I-GO.
@kicksprout Thank you!
I-GO ads are up on Blue & Red Line trains! Have you seen ‘em yet? Sign up for this $50+ deal today! http://t.co/Mq2xguhV promocode IGOTWEET
@ctemp @ohsowee Thanks for retweeting our special transit deal! http://t.co/rsdFKCBm promo code IGOTWEET
Hi Pals! We’re on facebook too. Like us @ https://t.co/Maqp8Tvk
@matthewchicago Hi Matthew! The love is mutual. :) Yes, we are in central time but our followers are all over. 2pm our (central) time!
