Electric vehicle owners and a local bicycle shop gathered for National Drive Electric Week at the Gogue Performing Arts Center on Friday, Sept. 22 from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. to showcase their vehicles and answer questions about living electric.
Fourteen electric vehicles (EVs) of various makes and models gathered, including an electric motorcycle, an Auburn University Transportation Services van, an F-150 lightning and several more.
Owners of the vehicles were eager to share information, debunk misconceptions about EVs and share the benefits of EVs.
“The goal is to educate consumers on the excitement of driving electric vehicles, the cost savings, and answer questions. All the folks here are drivers and owners of electric vehicles, so they will tell you straight,” said Mark Bentley, Executive Director at Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition and Tesla Model Y owner. “They’re not part of a company or anything else. They just are trying to share their experiences driving electric.”
Mary Palmer Rosenau was an owner and attendee who drove her Volkswagen I.D. 4 over 70,000 miles in two years.
“It is rugged,” Rosenau said. “I’ve taken this car back roading, I’ve been through some sketchy road-wise areas, I’ve driven through New York City. It handles everything like a breeze and it’s fantastic."
“My commute is probably 20-30 miles a day [one-way],” said Tesla Model Y owner Hunter Harris. “It does all I need.”
Lee Mullins, manager with Auburn University Transit Services, brought one of two Ford e-Transit vans that Auburn University purchased this past August.
“We’ve put about 3,800 miles on each one,” Mullins said.
A local bicycle shop, Trek Bicycle Auburn on Mall Parkway, also attended to showcase various e-bikes being sold in its shop.
“Events like this are a great opportunity [to promote e-bikes as transportation],” said Ben Vanslander, owner of Trek Bicycle Auburn. “Don’t be afraid of your environment of riding a bike… There's definitely ways to get around where you can utilize a bicycle and be safe and enjoy that experience.”
Electric vehicle owners emphasized that electric vehicle chargers are more common than many people think. Organizers noted that there are several “level two” chargers across Auburn University’s campus. They also pointed out the location of a “level three” or “fast charger” location with four chargers at the Wal-Mart on South College that any EV can use and two Tesla-specific fast charger locations in Auburn.
Many modern electric vehicles have built-in navigation systems that include charging locations, but other owners use apps like A Better Route Planner and PlugShare.
“My favorite is plugshare,” said Dale Holden, co-leader of the Mobile Chapter of Drive Electric Alabama and Hyundai Kona EV owner. “Based on the check-ins other EV drivers have left, I can decide whether or not this is a good place to stop.”
With over 70 models of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, there are many to choose from at various price points.
“Do your homework,” Bentley said. “Look at the different options that are out there, see what's available, see what makes sense for you.”
This year’s event was organized by the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition, a state-sponsored organization, and Auburn University Office of Sustainability. People interested in learning more about driving electric can find information on the Drive Electric Alabama website at driveelectric.alabama.gov.
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