(Richmond, VA) Today Delegate Lopez passed his first piece of legislation through the House of Delegates. The bill, HB 780, would allow for owners of converted electric vehicles to title and register their cars in the state of Virginia so that they meet the proper safety inspections and mechanical requirements.
Currently, converted electric vehicles are titled and registered as reconstructed vehicles. However, reconstructed vehicles are only inspected to ensure they are not using stolen parts and to meet the same state required inspection as other vehicles. This inspection is insufficient for converted electric vehicles, which use special parts not included in the current state inspection. This additional inspection is needed to certify the conversion and ensure the safety of the driver and emergency personal if the car were to be involved in an accident.
The legislation was crafted with input from the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Department of Environmental Quality, Law Enforcement, and University of Virginia Professors.
“This legislation will make it safer and more feasible to convert gas powered vehicles into electric vehicles,” said Lopez. “Today the Commonwealth took a step forward towards a cleaner environment and a burgeoning green industry.”
University of Virginia professors James Durand and David L. Slutzky currently offer a Ride Forward program where engineering students get hands on experience converting gasoline vehicles into electric vehicles. As the technology becomes more affordable, new green companies could provide the conversion service for customers interested in converting their vehicles.
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