Ever wonder what it’s like to drive an electric car? You can find out at an event in Middlebury to showcase electric vehicles owned by customers of Green Mountain Power.
The first EVenture Ride-n-Drive event will take place on Saturday, Aug. 21, at the Middlebury Natural Foods Co-op, where electric vehicle owners will be on hand to show off their cars and answer questions.
Not only that, but Green Mountain Power will have its own electric vehicles on hand for folks to drive, said GMP Vice President Kristin Carlson in an email.
“Employees like me are bringing their own electric vehicles (I have a Leaf) and people can drive those as well,” Carlson said. “I’ve let many people drive my car at events, because once folks drive an electric vehicle they can see how easily it fits into their lives.”
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Carlson said it will be up to the customers who bring their cars whether they want to let people drive them, “but many are passionate about sharing the EV experience.”
The EVs will gather at Green Mountain Power’s office at 121 Cady Road at 11 a.m. and then drive in a “parade” to the Middlebury Co-op, where they will be set up for people to check out until 1 p.m.
Energy Action Network released a report recently that says electric vehicles are less expensive to operate than gas vehicles and require less maintenance. The report estimates drivers of electric vehicles in Vermont will save about $1,500 in the first year of operation and more than $21,000 over the 14-year lifespan of a typical electric car.
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Energy Action Network is a nonprofit organization made up of more than 200 members from a broad spectrum including businesses, utilities, institutions of higher education, state agencies and other nonprofits. The organization’s stated mission is to “achieve Vermont’s climate and energy commitments in ways that create a more just, thriving, and sustainable future for Vermonters.”
Green Mountain Power offers customers up to $2,500 in rebates on new all-electric vehicles and has electric vehicles driving rates that make charging up cost the equivalent of about $1 per gallon, according to a news release.
Contact Dan D’Ambrosio at 660-1841 or ddambrosio@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanDambrosioVT. This coverage is only possible with support from our readers.
