Chronicle: It's Electric
When’s the last time you visited a museum and ended up test driving a car? Chances are, never. But that’s exactly what visitors of Baltimore’s Maryland Science Center are able to do now that the center’s new car-sharing program is in effect. Museum ticket-holders (those with a valid driver’s license, of course) can give the new Maya 300 electric car a spin, then head inside and tinker with an exhibit that revolves around the quest for alternative fuels
for cars.
The test-drives are part of the museum’s effort to introduce people to the idea of an electric car as well as to promote its groundbreaking electric-car-sharing program, called Altcar, which is modeled after similar programs like Zipcar found in other cities around the world. The concept goes like this: Members can reserve a car in advance, then drive it to run errands or knock about town for an hourly or daily rate.
From the perspective of the Maryland Science Center, the program is admittedly unusual, but a perfect fit on many levels.
“Railroad transportation in the United States started here in Baltimore, so I think it’s fitting that the first electric car-share program starts in Baltimore,” says center CEO Van Reiner, emphasizing that the Maya 300 is an all-electric car, not a hybrid. “People look under the hood and ask, ‘Where’s the motor?’”
Ultimately, the science center hopes people will understand that electric cars have come a long way, and consumers don’t have to give anything up when they decide to buy a car that requires plugging in rather than fueling up. In some ways, aside from being more eco-friendly, it’s even better. For instance, maintenance involves refilling windshield-washer fluid, rotating tires and replacing brake pads. That’s it. Also, the electric heating system means you don’t have to wait for the car to warm up on chilly winter days.
“What I like about it is that it’s unbelievably quiet, and that takes some getting used to,” says Reiner. “It’s a small car, yes, but other than the green color and our logo on it, it could be any other compact on the road.”
While the goal is to educate the public on the benefits of electric cars, the science museum has no illusions about consumers’ resistance to giving up the gas guzzlers. That’s where the science center’s exhibit “Energy Efficient Car—Today and Tomorrow” comes in.
“We talk about the battery and talk about why it was so important, but since we don’t honestly believe that in X number of years the only cars on the road are going to be electric, we think there are other opportunities to talk about how we make internal-combustion engines more efficient,” says Reiner.
To that end, the exhibition touches on how manufacturers are trying to lighten the overall weight to decrease the energy required to power a vehicle. Sponsored by ExxonMobil, which developed a separator film that makes the Maya 300’s lithium-ion battery more powerful, safe, durable and reliable, the exhibit includes a touch-screen interactive that allows kids to play car designer for the day. They can choose the size of the engine, the weight of the car and even the color.
Visitors can also peer through the body of a full-sized car surrounded by touch-screen interactives that show how today’s autos feature energy-efficient plastics, as well as the battery technology used to power the Altcar fleet. There are also puzzles and a board of questions and answers about car technology.
The science center is proud of its innovation in this arena, but it hopes other museums will follow suit and start programs in other cities. “We want to kick it off, and hopefully we’ll be able to expand it,” says the practical Reiner. “Dreams are dreams. Let’s get it started first.”
Rina Rapuano is contributing editor, Museum magazine.
