January 2015
We come to the end of a year filled with many new EMV’s. The BMW i3 was well received in the USA. The Leaf was a hit and found its way to Puerto Rico. Prius continue to sell well everywhere and the 2016 Volt is ready to launch later this year. Yes, it was a very good year for hybrids, plug-ins and electric cars. More charging stations are open for business and my home state is putting more money into the EV future. Fuel cells took the news in late 2014 and now we must see if hydrogen refueling stations will be built to support them.
ACDC had a good year as some major institutions like Honda and the US Air Force continued to use our services. Many schools in numerous countries are using our training material and books. ACDC opened our new training center in Worcester, Massachusetts with a 3 day Leaf class.
We added another 40 plus shops to our Hybrid Qualified Shop Program (QSP). “Up Your Voltage!” was well attended and we added the UYV Graduate Class last August. Our Honda Insight had its 15th birthday and got a new high voltage battery pack thanks to Dorman Products.
I finished my year with ASE L3 prep classes. ASE now has a hybrid specific certification test (L3) that I just sat down took.
As for the Van Batenburgs? Deb is well and teaching part time for the Job Corp’s and also still at ACDC making sure our customers feel the love and attention that she so willing shares. I spent my summer weekends (with Deb) in the Berkshire Mountains, did some motorcycling and passed my ASE tests to stay Master L1. Many are surprised to learn that we are grandparents to Blake (4) and Savanna (6). Our oldest son’s children.
Both of our sons remind us of the struggle that sometime does not go away if your first years are spent in foster homes due to parents that were not ready to raise you. See FAAT CATS for more about that subject.
One last note. Don’t let the low oil prices divert your attention to the real issues facing the world and our country. The earth is still heating (2014 was the hottest on record), the Middle East is unstable, the USA spends 1 billion dollars a day to buy foreign oil and we send our troops to hostile countries to protect our oil interests. Drive a Plug-in and you can make your own fuel at home out of sunshine. What a deal that is!
I hope 2014 was a good year for you and that 2015 will be even better.
Craig
