Chartwell Electric Vehicle Leadership Council Members Engage Communities To Drive Electric
EV Leadership Council Members Celebrate National Drive Electric Week
For drivers looking for an e-ticket ride to paradise, their electric utility may have something special for them during National Drive Electric Week, September 27 through October 6, 2024.
National Drive Electric Week is a nationwide celebration to raise awareness of the many benefits of all-electric and plug-in hybrid cars, trucks, motorcycles, and more. Chartwell’s Electric Vehicle Leadership Council utility members serve more than 60 million people across north America, and members are planning EV events for their customers.
The North American electric vehicle market size is projected to grow from USD $62.73 billion in 2022 to USD $228.47 billion by 2030, according to Fortune Business Insights (8/26/24). And with increasing availability of EV models, providing electric customers with a real-life EV driving experience is key to increased EV adoption.
“Utilities providing hands-on EV experiences is a great way to educate their community and accelerate adoption. It also emphasizes the Trusted Advisor role of the utility with their customers in making energy-related decisions,” said Karl Popham, Senior Consultant, Chartwell Inc.
“Ameren Missouri enjoys the opportunity to partner with groups, organizations and municipalities during National Drive Electric Week to let members of our community experience electric vehicles and their many benefits firsthand,” said Becky Whitman, Business Development Manager for EVs & Charging at Ameren Missouri.
According to Diana Sefcik, e-Mobility Business Development – Section Manager, at Orange & Rockland, “Ride and Drive events provide our customers with an invaluable hands-on experience with EVs in a no pressure environment to test drive the latest EVs on the market and interact with EV owners.”
“Drive Electric Hawaii (DEH) is a coalition of local stakeholders that advocate and support Hawaii’s electrified transportation future. While these aren’t solely Hawaiian Electric’s events, we are supporting them as a key member of Drive Electric Hawaii,” said Ethan Landy, EV Customer Specialist, Electrification of Transportation, at Hawaiian Electric.
Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) is transforming its power supply, actively pursuing decarbonization strategies and playing a vital role in supporting greater regional sustainability through electrification of buildings and transportation, all while maintaining some of the lowest rates in California.
Chartwell Electric Vehicle Leadership Council members have scheduled the following events to celebrate National Drive Electric Week and to engage their customers:
- Ameren Missouri
Ameren Missouri EV Ride and Drive at Maryland Heights Tons of Trucks Event:
Saturday, October 5th, 11 am – 1 pm
Hollywood Casino Amphitheater, St. Louis MO
Contact: Becky Whitman at evmissouri@ameren.com
- Hawaiian Electric (HECO)
On Saturday, October 5, join electric vehicle (EV) owners, advocates, and industry stakeholders at events across the islands:
Oahu: Pearlridge Center, 10 am – 2 pm
Hawai’i Island: TBD
Kauai: Koloa Public Library, 9 am – 12 pm
Maui: University of Hawaiʻi Maui Campus Charging Station, 10 am – 2 pm
Contact: Ethan Landy at ethan.landy@hawaiianelectric.com
- Orange & Rockland
Orange & Rockland will be at the Galleria at Crystal Run, 1 Galleria Dr Middletown, NY 10941:
Saturday, September 28, 10 am – 4 pm
Sunday, September 29, 10 am – 4 pm
Tuesday, October 1, 10 am – 4 pm
Contact: Diana Sefcik at sefcikd@oru.com
- Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD)
One of the best ways to experience an EV is to take one for a test drive:
Saturday, September 28, 11 am – 3 pm
Breathe Easy Expo – In partnership with SABA and Council member Eric Guerra
Tallac Village Shopping Center, 5984 14th Ave., Sacramento
Contact: John Grinrod at john.grindrod@smud.org
According to Statista Market Insights, the unit sales of Electric Vehicles market in North America are expected to reach 2.63m vehicles by 2029. Electric utilities are focused not only on providing beneficial rate programs, but also the customer experience for consumers and commercial fleets. Community engagement and educational events combine to overcome obstacles and drive EV growth forward.
“As EV demand continues to grow for both residential customers and commercial fleets, Chartwell is dedicated to providing resources and best practices to its Utility members to ensure that EV customer expectations are met while also providing key insights for infrastructure enhancements,” said John Bord, Senior Consultant at Chartwell.
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About Chartwell’s Electric Vehicle Leadership Council (EVLC): Created in 2023, it provides an engaging forum for utility professionals to collaborate with peers to enhance their personal and organizational role as a Trusted Advisor in transportation electrification.
