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.

A Selection of NDEW Events in CT

National Drive Electric Week is soon to be in full swing with a range of events throughout the state. This is in marked contrast to last year when the pre-vaccination pandemic had a chilling effect. To be sure, pandemic restrictions are in place, but with events being out of doors, a relatively high vaccination rate in CT, and masking and social distancing requirements in place, it looks to be an active, but safe, time to resume (semi) in-person EVangelizing.

EV owners requested to showcase their vehicles at all of these shows. All events are free unless otherwise noted.

The home page for National Drive Electric Week is https://driveelectricweek.org/index

You can enter a city or zip code to find events near you. Most organizers are glad to welcome more EV owners.

Westport/Fairfield – Green Wheels EV Parade and Showcase

Oct 2, 2021  10 AM – 2 PM

There will be an EV parade beginning at the Westport Metro North Train Station and ending at the Bob’s Plaza Lot 889 Post Road, Fairfield, CT. This is similar to the parade that was held last year. However, unlike last year, there will be an EV showcase at the terminus.

This event is produced by the Sustainable Fairfield Task Force and the EV Club of CT.

This is where to register.

East Hampton – Portland EV Showcase

September 25, 2021   12 PM – 3 PM

Rain Date September 26, 2021

East Hampton High School

15 North Maple Street East Hampton, CT

The East Hampton and Portland Clean Energy Task Forces are organizing the Third Annual “Electric Car Show 2021” on Saturday, September 25, 2021 at the East Hampton High School at 15 North Maple St. from 12 noon to 3 pm (Rain Date is Sunday, September 26th). The show is part of the National Drive Electric Week program. Come join them as they showcase electric, hybrid, and alternative fuel cars from private owners and various dealerships.

Willimantic EV Ride and Drive

The New England Electric Auto Association will be hosting an electric car ride and drive event at Jillson Square Park in Willimantic Connecticut on Sunday, September 26th from 12:30 to 5 pm. Several dealers along with actual EV owners will be present for test drives. A solar installer will also be present. This is a great opportunity to test out an electric vehicle in a friendly, no-pressure environment. Please go to www.neeaa.org for more information. Dinner at a nearby restaurant after the event.

Event Page: https://driveelectricweek.org/event?eventid=2877

Middletown EV Ride and Drive

The New England Electric Auto Association is hosting an electric car show and ride and drive event on Sunday, October 3rd from 1-5 pm at Harbor Park in Middletown Connecticut. Several dealers will be present for test drives. A solar installer will also be present. This is a great opportunity to see an electric vehicle in a friendly, non-sales environment. Dinner afterward at a nearby restaurant.

Harbor Park – Harbor Dr, Middletown, CT 06457

Event Page: https://driveelectricweek.org/event?eventid=2904

The Green Wheels Expo, one of many Drive Electric Week events being held around the country, had its strongest showing ever.

Over 70 EV owners exhibited their vehicles, along with 7 dealers and Tesla who held offered test drives. According to Scott Thompson, one of the Sustainable Fairfield leaders who organized the event said that attendance was higher in Fairfield than in similar events in San Francisco and Boston.

Along with many of the increasing numbers of EVs currently available, the event included an electric schoolbus.

This bus, from National Express Transit, currently in use in White Plains, NY, is a battery only zero emission bus. It has a range of 62 miles, more than enough for its daily run. One of the more unique things about it is that the purchase of the bus was subsidized by Con Edison with the proviso that it can be used as a 2-way battery when not in use ferrying students. In other words, it serves as stationary storage, which can then can be tapped in periods of very high demand. This is a potentially tranformative application and it is something that has been discussed in the EV world for some time. It will also get your warranty voided, as manufacturers err on the side of caution with respect to its impact on battery longevity.

There is always room for a few novelties that, you never know, may be the wave of the future. This is a Honda Insight conventional hybrid with solar panels, which extend its electric range of operation, courtesy of Eugene’s Green Garage in Bridgeport.

There were several public officials on hand. In the photo below are Rep. Jonathan Steinberg and Sen. Tony Hwang.

National Drive Electric Week runs through September 22 with many events scheduled in the coming days. Find one near you with with this link.

National Drive Electric Week

The 2017 Drive Electric Week is coming up next month (September 9-17) and will be celebrated locally with an event in Fairfield on Saturday, September 9 from 10 AM to 2 PM. This is one of the larger EV showcases in the area with approximately 50 EVs exhibited from both dealers and private owners. New models of battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids are being introduced at an increasing rate and this is a great opportunity to see many of them.

The event location is the Auxiliary Commuter Parking Lot, 140 Mill Plain Road across from the Sportsplex@Fairfield.

Electric bikes welcome, too!

Drive Electric Week is presented by Plug In America, the Sierra Club, and the Electric Auto Association.

The event is free.