Above photo by Paul Braren

Successful EV Showcase with Hotel Tours

Thanks to everyone who made this a successful event, with numerous EVs, including Lucid, Rivian, Tesla, Ford, Kia, Chevy, Polestar, and others.

The Westport Police brought their Tesla Model Y patrol car that went into service January of this year.

Tours of the hotel were given. This is the first net-zero hotel in the country, LEED Certified Platinum, Passive House Certified. The hotel has no fossil fuel connection. It is powered by solar, augmented with battery storage. Air-source high efficiency heat pumps provide the heating and cooling. The lighting is high efficiency Power over Ethernet. The elevators have regenerative braking. The kitchen uses induction. The envelope is so tight that if you are in a guest room, about one-tenth of a from I-95, it is totally quiet.

There are over 1000 solar panels on the hotel roof and the solar canopies. There is a bank of Tesla V3 Superchargers and, under the canopy, 12 level 2 chargers with J-1772 connectors. There is already in place infrastructure to install another 12. The level 2 chargers are part of the EV Connect network, though they can also be activated with a ChargePoint account.

This event was jointly produced by the EV Club of CT and the CT Tesla Owners Club. We thank the Tesla Club for its partnership.

2022 was an action-packed year as you can see below. But we wanted to begin by saying a big Thank You to all of our members and supporters.

EV Evangelist Award

Club president, Barry Kresch, was given an award by Southwestern CT Clean Cities Coalition for Outstanding Leadership in EV Education. This award is a public acknowledgement of the positive contributions Barry and the EV Club of CT have made towards our mission of evangelizing the rapid adoption of EVs.

The Year of Incentives

With legislative and regulatory pushes at the federal and state levels, EV purchase and charging incentives became both more numerous and more complex in a big way over the past year – and it’s not over yet. The IRS is still working on the rule-making for the incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act and the US Treasury has delayed EV tax credit guidance regarding battery sourcing until March 2023. DEEP is still in the process of implementing the changes to CHEAPR from PA 22-25, and PURA is conducting its year one review of the charging installation and managed charging incentives being offered via Eversource and United Illuminating with anticipated changes to follow. We have spent considerable time keeping up with developments on our incentives page and various blog posts.

Advocacy

We remain engaged with policy makers, including for SB-4 last year, which significantly augmented the CHEAPR program. Our biggest disappointment was another year without a direct sales bill. The club has a seat on the policy committee of the national Electric Vehicle Association, with whom we partnered to submit comments to the IRS regarding the Inflation Reduction Act. Similarly, the club partnered with our EV Coalition partner, Save the Sound to submit comments to the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority regarding the year one review of the utility incentives.

Speaking Engagements and Appearances

The club educates the public about EVs through virtual and in-person speaking engagements, panels and events. Engagements in 2022:

• Wakeman Town Farm Westport
• Transportation Summit – CT League of Conservation Voters
• Schiller Shoreline Lifelong Learning Institute in Guilford (with People’s Action for Clean Energy – PACE)
• Y’s Men – YMCA, Westport
• Greenwich Conservation Commission/Greenwich Sustainability Committee
• Westport Rotary
• CT Humanist Society – Hamden
• Town of Kent (with PACE)
• Sustainable Essex
• EVs for Law Enforcement – Clean Cities Panel
• Westport Senior Center
• Clean Transportation Day for legislators in Hartford

EV Showcases

There are numerous events around the state and the club supports as many as we can, sometimes by participating directly or other times by helping to recruit EV owners to exhibit their vehicles. We let our members know about these via emails, blog posts, and our event calendar and have participated in events from Greenwich to Essex. Showcases tend to cluster in spring and fall around Drive Electric Earth Day and National Drive Electric Week. We also supported the return of the Electric Car Guest Drive, an event in which EV owners are paid to participate with their vehicles. 

Wilton Fire Department

As we did with Westport a year ago, we arranged for club members to bring EVs to the Wilton Fire Department for first responder training. Aside from the requisite instruction, these events are a lot of fun as the first responders we speak to are genuinely engaged and have many questions.

Food Rescue US

When gas prices spiked, the volunteer drivers that this organization depends upon to “rescue” food before it is discarded so it can be donated to organizations serving food insecure families became harder to come by. A number of club members stepped in to fill this need. Food Rescue advised us they considered club participation to be a huge success.

EV Club Joins for Event with Rivian Owners Club

The new Rivian R1T pickup and R1S SUV have begun to be delivered to reservation holders in 2022. In May, the EV Club joined up with the Rivian Owners Club for a meetup at the Bridgeport Brewing Company with Rivian owners showing their vehicles to EV Club members. Funds from an event fund raiser went to support our EV Coalition partner, Save the Sound. See the video tour.

CT EV Data

• EV Dashboard based on our Freedom of Information Act Requests of the Department of Motor Vehicles – updated semi-annually.
• CHEAPR rebates monthly and an annual summary of rebates by dealership (our proxy for EV-friendly dealers to the extent they sell CHEAPR-eligible vehicles).
• Ad hoc projects, such as the financial analysis done for the Westport Police Tesla Model 3 patrol car with the possibility of an update for the new Model Y patrol car.

Public Meetings

It has been more challenging to hold meetings during the pandemic. We have tried to fill the gap with virtual meetings at which we hosted speakers. This year we had speakers from Eversource and UI discuss the new consumer and commercial charging programs. A brand ambassador from Aptera joined us to discuss their unique approach to a solarized EV. We ended the year with a gathering at the new net-zero Hotel Marcel in New Haven where we celebrated the opening of L2 and Tesla charging stations.

30 EVs Parade from Westport to Fairfield

On a glorious early fall day, the EV Club of CT in partnership with the Sustainable Fairfield Task Force held an EV parade from Westport to Fairfield, concluding with an EV showcase.

The parade was born one year ago as a way to hold an in-person event that would be safe during a pandemic. This year, the environment is somewhat better and we added a showcase as another outdoor event. This past weekend was the concluding weekend of National Drive Electric Week and a full slate of showcases and speaking events was held throughout the state. The EV Club participated as an exhibitor or speaker in several.

The Westport Police escorted the parade with their Tesla Model 3 police cruiser.

The police brought 3 of their plug-in vehicles, including a Prius Prime used for parking enforcement, and their newest addition, a Honda Clarity (above), used by the detectives.

There were three of the new Mustang Mach-E’s in the parade.

Westport Second Selectman, Jen Tooker, and Representative Jonathan Steinberg were on hand in Westport to kick off the parade.

In the photos below…

Bob Laravie returned this year with his replica 1903 Baker Torpedo. The car is able to be driven and was in the parade. The Torpedo was one of the fastest cars of its time, capable of traveling in excess of 75 MPH. It was the first car to have seat belts.

Barry Kresch and Analiese Paik are in front of the Proterra electric transit bus that belongs to Greater Bridgeport Transit. It is too small to see, but they are holding postcards urging legislators to support the Transportation Climate Initiative in the special session of the legislature.

There have always been a lot of reasons to support TCI but now there is a new and important one. If the Infrastructure and Reconciliation bills pass in Congress, there are a lot of federal funds that will come with state matching requirements. The proceeds from the carbon auction could be used for this match. In other words, TCI could be used to leverage a greater share of available federal dollars. Please contact your state representatives and tell them to support TCI now.

The EV Club staged a small showcase at a well-attended event called STEAMFest, presented by Sustainne with (and at) Housatonic Community College in Bridgeport. This event covered numerous topics related to energy efficiency, zero-waste, raising organic food, ecology, as well as speakers who gave advice to students about environmentally-related careers (of which there is a wide variety).

The time of year is past, for the most part, for outdoor showcases, but we braved the somewhat cold November weather and had a great response. We find that there is still a pretty low baseline level among the general public about what EVs are about and what incentives may be available. It reminds us that the commitment to doing these will be worth it over time.

Two Teslas, Two LEAFs, a Jaguar and a BMWi3 – these are the cars EV Club of CT members displayed at the EV Showcase at Discovery Museum & Planetarium’s “Climate Week” Transportation event on Thursday, April 17, 2019, from 11-1. Guests who visited the showcase ranged from families with small children, to Museum board members to various presenters at the event including Katie Scharf Dykes, the newly appointed Commissioner of Connecticut’s Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP). Various Club members expressed our support to Commissioner Dykes for extending the CHEAPR rebate for BEVs and other alternative fuel vehicles beyond 2019 to further incentivize EV purchases and rapidly expanding the adoption of electric buses for public transit and schools, perhaps with grants.

As enthusiasts, we all sang the praises of our EVs and underscored their benefits including zero tailpipe emissions, ease and low cost of maintenance, positively contributing to the decarbonization of the transportation sector, taking personal responsibility for improving public air quality, and advancing the adoption of EVs in the state by making the cars visible.

Sunny and warm weather allowed EV Club member Dawn Henry to entertain guests with her Tesla Model X’s performance of Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s iconic rock Christmas song, Carol of the Bells. Watch the video below to see what we mean by performance – lights, doors, wings, mirrors – the car was literally dancing to the music while putting on a light show. Squeals of delight from small children could be seen and heard as they broke out in dance right along with the car. The X got a big round of applause at the end. For an encore, guests were invited to a little lighthearted toilet humor: Emissions Testing Mode with all 6 whoopee cushion sounds. A real hoot.

EV Club member and TecKnow founder Phil Levieff’s Tesla Model S wowed guests with its ability to be summoned on command from its owner. The car’s sensors stop it immediately if it nears any object. Smart, connected living – via cars, phones, smart homes, solar power and Tesla Powerwalls – are his expertise and guests were invited to learn more at the Westport Maker Faire on Saturday, April 27. The EV Club will be presenting a showcase as part of TecKnow’s “The Future is Now” smart living experience at their Bedford Square office.

Eugene Tomachinski, an EV Club member and owner of Eugene’s Green Garage, brought a 2016 BMWi3 Rex, which is for sale as a Certified BMW used vehicle with 18,000 miles.

EV Club member David Symington from Jaguar Land Rover of Fairfield brought a brand new Jaguar I-Pace SUV for us all to check out and promised to bring another to the next meeting. The car was just awarded the World Car of the Year at the New York International Auto Show!

Analiese Paik and Jackie Eskin displayed their white 2016 Nissan LEAF and 2012 light blue LEAF, respectively. Comparing them side by side was useful in learning how much changes so quickly in EV technology, but both have steering wheel warmers.

Please join us at the Maker Faire or our next meeting on Tuesday, April 23 at 7 pm at the Higgins Group offices at Bedford Square.

The club supports various EV showcase events as they have been a proven way to spread the word about EVs.

Attendees from the general public who are interested in EVs can have a conversation with an owner about their real-life experience owning a plug-in vehicle and not be in a pressured sales environment. It is ideal for someone who is anywhere from early in the learning curve to the point where they may be focusing on the fine points between a couple of vehicles they have narrowed their search to as they get close to making a purchase decision. Customer experiences at dealerships (excluding Tesla) can vary wildly, with some dealerships embracing EVs and having a knowledgeable staff to others which can be indifferent or hostile. This is a great way to arm oneself with important knowledge. These events are also a great way to interact with media or politicians who are often present.

Our experience as EV-owners at numerous events of this nature is that most people still don’t know much about EVs or the types of models available.

WE SEEK EV-OWNER CLUB MEMBERS to bring their EVs to one or more of these events. Please email WestportEVClub@gmail.com if you are interested in participating. We will follow up with details.

AVANGRID COMPANY FAIR

Expected attendance ~400. This is a fair for Avangrid employees. Avangrid has recently been buying Chevy Bolts to use for their corporate fleet. The CEO will give a short talk on the advantages of EVs from a corporate perspective.

TIME/LOCATION – Tuesday, August 7, 11:30 AM – 2 PM. The event will be held at Avangrid HQ at 180 Marsh Hill Road, Orange, CT.

There is a barbecue and attendees will be served lunch. This is a short lead time. RSVP by Friday, August 3 if interested.

NATIONAL DRIVE ELECTRIC WEEK

The club is participating in the local NDEW event in Fairfield. This is a combo EV Showcase and Ride and Drives. There is a mix of EV owners as well as dealers who participate. The Ride and Drives are only done by the dealers. There will also be speakers. Turnout at these events has been good, both from the perspective of EV owners and spectators. EV owners can come for just a part of it. Those interested, please register here

TIME/LOCATION – Saturday, September 8, 10 AM – 2 PM. Fairfield Warde High School (under the new solar carports), 755 Melville Avenue, Fairfield, CT

CLIMATE REALITY PRESENTATION + EV EVENT

Club board member Dawn Henry will be giving the latest iteration of the Climate Reality Presentation (the Al Gore slide show). She is a certified presenter. Following the CR presentation, there will be a talk about EV basics followed by an EV showcase.

TIME/LOCATION – Thursday, September 20, 4:30 PM – 7 PM. Westport Senior Center, 21 Imperial Avenue, Westport, CT

SUSTAINABLE LIVING EXPO

Expected attendance ~1000. There is an EV showcase that is held in conjunction with this event.

TIME/LOCATION – Saturday, October 13, 12 PM – 2 PM. Stepping Stones Museum, Norwalk, CT.