WHY, the “GLOBAL CRUISER?” There is wide consensus about the - TopicsExpress



          

WHY, the “GLOBAL CRUISER?” There is wide consensus about the enormous environmental problems facing people in the crowded, polluted, congested cities in Asia, Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America. Till now, few if any realistic, common-sense solutions have been advanced to deal effectively with the increasingly worsening living and health conditions in those places. The Swiss-based GLOBAL CRUISER ASSOCIATION (GCA), a new, not-for-profit entity, is teaming up with groups as well as individuals in the public and private sectors to design, develop, produce and promote an affordable electric vehicle called the “Global Cruiser” for the benefit of city-dwellers in the developing countries. GCA believes that the widespread use of its “Cruiser” will do much to lower dangerously high air pollution levels and alleviate traffic congestion in their cities. The organization’s main objective is to mass-produce a safe, dependable electric vehicle specially designed to handle the day-to-day family needs of the general population and those of wage-earners and tradesmen in these countries, as well as adapting it for use as a motorized ‘rickshaw’ or even as an ‘inner city taxi.’ Because of its versatility, usefulness and above all its affordability, it is expected to become the first ‘standardized’ electric vehicle of its kind in the world to be used in large numbers. And, because it has been specially designed to handle weight loads in excess of 250 kg, and comes equipped with extra racks and baggage attachments, the ‘Cruiser’ serves as a rugged Workhorse for everyone needing a cheap, multi-purpose, ‘environment-friendly’ city transporter. The GCA not only has some of its principal staff members in China, which is the principal production country, but also enjoys close working relations with importers, wholesalers and dealers in various developing countries where the “Global Cruiser” is to be sold. The latter is of considerable importance since GCA wishes to make its electric vehicle available to as many users as possible by entering the marketplace in these countries at the lowest possible price. Initially, the “Global Cruiser” will have an FOB/Shanghai price of approximately US $275.00. It will be shipped exclusively in ‘kit’ form, i.e. on a CKD basis in order that it might be assembled locally, and will not include batteries unless the purchaser requests otherwise. Whenever possible, the ‘Cruiser’s’ maintenance-free, lead-acid batteries will be procured locally in order to lower shipping costs and to increase local parts content. The GCA will continually strive to achieve various cost-saving measures to lower the ‘Cruiser’s’ purchase price. This includes cost-savings gained by large-scale parts sourcing from its Chinese suppliers and also by steadily increasing local production content in other countries; the latter will be achieved by providing financial incentives to local manufacturers in order to assist them to cover critical start-up costs such as those involved in acquiring special tools and dies and other ‘once only’ initial manufacturing expenses. The GCA also recognizes the added advantages gained in encouraging as much local production as possible, including the important increased in-country employment opportunities it offers. As the GLOBAL CRUISER ASSOCIATION is committed to ensuring that its vehicle faithfully serves its users as a dependable, environment-friendly form of city transport, it will collaborate with local officials, national and international pro-environment NGOs and foundations to continually monitor environmental conditions in order to maximize the “Cruiser’s” technical design characteristics accordingly. In doing so it will use every opportunity to make sure it offers city-dwellers in the developing countries a reliable “Workhorse,” which is not only safe and easy to operate and maintain, but above all a new form of urban transport which they can readily afford to buy.
Posted on: Fri, 12 Jul 2013 00:14:29 +0000

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