http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20150908/PC05/150909774 National Drive Electric Week: Local man charges his electric vehicle with solar panels David Quick Sep 8 2015
[image http://www.postandcourier.com/storyimage/CP/20150908/PC05/150909774/AR/0/AR-150909774.jpg John Manzi, 70, of Folly Beach’s Little Oak Island, uses solar panels on the roof of his house to charge his 2015 BMW i3, which has a range extender. http://www.postandcourier.com/storyimage/CP/20150908/PC05/150909774/EP/1/1/EP-150909774.jpg In July, John Manzi had 32 280-watt solar panels installed on the roof of his Little Oak Island home. The panels not only generate electricity for his 3,000-square-foot home but for his new BMW i3 car. David Quick/Staff ] If you go WHAT: National Drive Electric Week — Charleston. WHEN: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday [9/12] WHERE: Local Works, 1600 Meeting St. HOW MUCH: Free. Food trucks will be on hand for food purchases. DETAILS: About 25 owners and operators of an array of electric vehicles will be on hand to answer questions, and in some cases, provide test drives. Also industry vendors for solar power and charging stations will be on hand. MORE: driveelectricweek.org or the event’s facebook page. FOLLY BEACH — Ever since electric vehicles hit the American market five years ago, there’s been debate over whether “EVs” are truly green. The arguments often fell along political lines and how the carbon footprint of the cars was calculated. But generally the benefits depended on how the power plant sources generated the electricity. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, plants using coal, which are increasingly being phased out, meant an EV was still better than a gasoline-powered vehicle but not as good as a hybrid. Well, people like Folly Beach’s John Manzi appear to be ending the debate — tipping the scales decidedly toward EVs being a clear, greener choice. The 70-year-old is charging his new BMW i3 electric car, purchased in January, with solar panels that were installed on his Little Oak Island house in July. Manzi, a retired college professor, aquaculturalist and developer, said he and wife Judy have been looking to lessen their carbon footprint for years. Teslas appealed to him but were too expensive. The luxury vehicles currently start at $80,000. Less expensive EVs, such as Nissan’s Leaf and Chevrolet’s Volt, were available, but Manzi also admitted to suffering what many do when it comes to electric cars: range anxiety. “People suffer range anxiety. I don’t care what the range is — 150 miles or 300 miles. You’ll still have anxiety about will I get to that next charging station or enough power to get home,” Manzi said. But then BMW introduced its i3, which has the option of a “range extender” — a two gallon, gas-powered generator for the battery. Unlike a hybrid or the Volt, the generator is not attached to the drive train and doesn’t kick in until the battery is nearly depleted. The extender will provide him with about a 70-mile buffer. For Manzi, the car also was within his price range of about $43,000, not including a $7,500 federal income tax credit. Another advantageous development took place. The state passed a law about net metering making solar power for his house more economically beneficial. Manzi got estimates from three local solar companies, which he described as all professional and thorough, to install photovoltaic panels and went with Edgewater Energy Services. He had 32 280-watt panels put on his roof, some on flatter portions and others on pitched sections. The cost was about $30,000, but he’ll get about $16,000 back in the form of federal and state tax credits. With net metering, he anticipates the solar panels will pay for themselves via energy savings within five years. Over the course of a year, the system is expected provide 100 percent of his energy needs for their 3,000-square-foot home and his electric car. And he can monitor the energy production in real time with an app on his tablet computer. “It’s all come together this year,” said Manzi, noting his interests in technology, reducing their carbon footprint and saving money. Manzi is disappointed he won’t be able to make an event coming up on Saturday. Across the nation, electric car enthusiasts and environmental advocates will come together for events related to National Drive Electric Week. The promotion is presented by Plug In America, the Sierra Club and the Electric Auto Association. In Charleston, it will take place Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Local Works, 1600 Meeting St. Nearly 25 local electric car owners and operators will be on hand with an array of vehicles currently on the market for people to see or test drive. Sharon Foxworthy, one of the organizers of the event, said the event also will feature industry-related vendors providing information on solar panels, charging stations and other related products. 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