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Students and Faculty 'Plug In' to 21st Century Transportation Concept

25 March 1999

UC Riverside Students and Faculty 'Plug In' to 21st Century Transportation Concept AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CORP IntelliShare program sponsored by UC Riverside and American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (PR NewsFoto)[PH] RIVERSIDE, CA USA 03/24/1999     AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CORP IntelliShare program sponsored by UC Riverside and American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (PR NewsFoto)[PH] RIVERSIDE, CA USA 03/24/1999    

           - IntelliShare Program Tests Community Vehicle Sharing -

    RIVERSIDE, Calif., March 24 -- More than 200 students and
faculty at the University of California, Riverside, are sharing 15 Honda EV
PLUS electric vehicles for their daily driving needs through the IntelliShare
program, conducted by the University's College of Engineering Center for
Environmental Research and Technology (CE-CERT) with support from American
Honda Motor Co., Inc.
    (Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19990324/LAW024 )
    (Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19990324/LAW024-b )
    The IntelliShare program was demonstrated at a press conference today at
University Village in Riverside.  The program is part of Honda's international
Intelligent Community Vehicle System (ICVS).  Following several years of
research using computer simulations, the demonstration -- which will run for
up to a year -- will provide a real-world test of ICVS in an urban
environment, allowing researchers to further refine the technology.
    "Growing populations, increasing congestion and environmental concerns are
making our transportation challenges more complex," said Robert Bienenfeld,
advanced environmental vehicle marketing manager for American Honda.  "The
IntelliShare community vehicle program is a way for Honda to explore solutions
that may enhance the convenience, efficiency and environmental responsibility
of the transportation system."
    Each IntelliShare member receives a smart card, which gives them access to
an EV PLUS from one of three port locations: University Village, the College
of Engineering and CE-CERT.  After entering information about estimated trip
time and distance at the kiosk located at each port, the system assigns a
vehicle to the IntelliShare user.  The smart card also unlocks the car and
turns it on.  When not in use, the electric vehicles are charged at each port.
    Honda R&D is working closely with the University to research the
logistics, management and technology of car sharing. Honda's participation
includes research assistance, funding, vehicle maintenance and insurance, in
addition to providing the EV PLUS vehicles.
    IntelliShare is the latest U.S. project in Honda's vision for an ICVS.  In
the San Francisco Bay Area, 60 residents share use of 12 natural gas-powered
Civic GX sedans as part of CarLink, a research project including Honda, the
Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Davis,
Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) and others.
    Last year, Honda began public demonstration of ICVS at its Twin Ring
Motegi motorsports complex in Tochigi, Japan.  Users check out small electric
cars and electric bicycles as needed to commute around the 1,600-acre
facility.
    "Honda's vision of an Intelligent Community Vehicle System is to conserve
the use of land and other resources by maximizing the use of each vehicle in
the transportation network," said Bienenfeld.  "At the same time, we continue
to lead the industry in developing and marketing environmentally sensitive
vehicles such as the EV PLUS electric vehicle, the natural-gas powered Civic
GX and the new Honda hybrid."