NORTHAMPTON – On Saturday, prospective buyers and those interested in electric cars (EVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) had the exclusive opportunity to take a tour, learn about a variety of cashback incentives and chat with existing owners about their enjoyment. inside with owning and those cars.
The display and check collection event sponsored through Recharge Massachusetts, in partnership with Massachusetts Clean Cities, and was held in the Armory Street parking lot in Northampton.
“It’s fun,” Erin Armstrong said of Amherst. Es great to have the cars here and not have to go to other dealerships, and I enjoyed being able to communicate with owners and hear their experiences. “
Recharge Massachusetts is a statewide public education initiative aimed at expanding the number of electric vehicle drivers and expanding supporting charging infrastructure in the state’s communities.
The Massachusetts program is part of the national Recharge America initiative, which mobilizes for electric vehicle adoption to help keep local energy dollars, boost local economies and help communities reap the benefits of blank transportation.
“We’re working with local government, app companies, nonprofit blank energy groups and EV owners’ associations to bring grid members closer to electric vehicles, answer questions and barriers to EV adoption,” said Aaron Monson, Event Planner Recharge America. .
The event started in the rain due to rainy weather, but as the day progressed, more and more people showed up to get behind the wheel of an electric vehicle.
Cars available for test drives included a Chevy Bolt, Polestar 2, BMW iX, Tesla Model S and Toyota Prius Prime PHEV. The demonstration included a Tesla Y, a Hyundai Kona and a Volkswagen ID4 model.
“It was great,” Northampton’s Denise Lello said after a test drive of a Chevy Bolt. “It was effortless, quite responsive and had a smart turning radius. “
Lello said she’s been interested in buying an electric car for some time, and recent state investments in charging stations and existing discounts on available electric cars have convinced her it’s possibly the right time to do so.
In February, $13. 1 million grants were awarded to 54 government and personal entities under the Massachusetts Electric Vehicle Incentive Program to install 306 fast-charging DC electric vehicle charging ports at 150 locations.
Communities in western Massachusetts Amherst, Belchertown, Chicopee, Greenfield, Holyoke, Northampton, South Deerfield, Springfield, West Springfield, Westfield, Whately and Williamsburg.
Representatives from Massachusetts Offers Rebates for Electric Vehicles (MOR-EV), a program funded through the Department of Energy Resources, were on hand to learn about existing rebates and how to download one.
These included a $2,500 rebate for battery and fuel mobile vehicles, and a $1,500 rebate for plug-in hybrids.
According to Monson, the only thing that makes it difficult to rationalize EV charging is that there is no unified load generation and other corporations vary in how they supply power.
“It’s a fragmented approach and it makes it difficult,” he said. “The charging station available depends on the company the entity goes with. “
Monson said the goal is to make public charging stations effective and reduce charging times to 10 minutes.
“90 percent of EV owners have charging stations at home,” he said.
Members of National Grid’s Clean Transportation team were also available to discuss their program to provide opportunities that will expand charging infrastructure.
“We provide assistance to homeowners to install charging stations in their homes,” said team member Julia Gold. “By providing incentives for family homes, multi-unit buildings, low-income communities, and environmental justice, we seek to make it a fair place and a simple transition for people. “
Monson said most of those provided were data on how an electric vehicle could be compatible with your daily life with many conversations focused on charging, maintenance, safety, handling and functionality in winter conditions.
“Some other people suffer from anxiety and don’t think they can take a long road trip,” Monson said. . “
Monson said other people have the concept that electric cars are “slow and slow,” but said many have sportier functionality than gas-powered cars.
As for safety, he said that, as in everything, there is room for improvement, but electric cars are “perfectly safe, if not safer” than their gasoline-powered counterparts.
Jonas LaPointe of Williamsburg is a member of the Pioneer Valley Electric Auto Association.
Owner of a Polestar 2, he took his vehicle to the occasion for other people to see.
“It’s very well built and it’s fun to drive,” he said. “It has smart clearance and 4WD, it’s powerful and I’ve never had a traction challenge in the snow. “
LaPointe said that as it moves forward, generation is leaping forward in terms of power capacity.
“I had a 2015 Nessan Leaf and drove 84 miles on a full charge,” he said. “Now, with this car, I get 230 miles and it costs me $2. 50 to complete my 52-mile trip. “
When it comes to maintenance, LaPointe said cars make things easier.
“It’s just wiper blades, windshield washer and tires, that’s all, there’s no oil change or anything like that. “
Pete O’Connor of Newton and Plug in America brought his Tesla Model S to the occasion and agreed that technological innovations are immediate and costs are falling as electric cars become more popular.
“I’m very satisfied with this car,” he said, “but this new Tesla Model S next to me has a lot of innovations and is faster and less expensive than mine. “
A woman who attended the occasion said she sold the Prius Hybrid.
“We live in Village Hill and they’re looking to install a charging station there, so we need to move forward with a purchase,” Karen Clay said. “I heard about this wonderful occasion and it’s the best time,” he said. , while signing up for a test drive with Lia Toyota sales representative Dave Wolfram.
This is the first Recharge Northampton event to take place, and Monson said he hopes to return to Northampton in 2023, when he hopes to come with more vehicles and participants.