Always start with the economic argument. Sent from my iPhone
> On Aug 13, 2015, at 1:51 PM, Darryl McMahon via EV <[email protected]> wrote: > > Just home from this EVent with our 2012 Leaf. I was at the far end of the > static display area, pretty much as last year. > > I continue to be astonished by the number of walk-by traffic who are not > aware that pure electric vehicles exist, or are available for purchase at > dealers. My most frequent question for the day was, where do you put the gas > in? followed by, yeah, yeah, I know it can run on electricity, but where do > you put the gas in? Sigh. 35 years of trying to educate the public on EVs, > and this is still the level of public awareness. > > I had three good conversations in 4 hours (not counting the other EV owners > present), but the typical interaction could be summed up as some or all of > the following. > > Zero-emissions: yawn. Quiet operation: yawn. Reduced pollution: not true, > we still burn all that coal to generate the electricity, so it actually > increases pollution (where I get to mention there is no coal-fired generation > in Ontario or Quebec - we're standing a few hundred metres from the border > between the two - general reaction: astonishment or "that's not true"). > Sure, EVs might be better for the environment, but only rich people can > afford them - they all cost over $100,000. So, I tell them our Leaf cost > about $20,000 (Cdn) after rebates and they don't believe it. Low > maintenance: really? I heard you have to replace the battery every couple > of years and it costs thousands of dollars: 8 year warranty on the battery, > and experience with other EVs with similar batteries suggest they will last > much longer than that. But this is the gotcha line: 2 cents a kilometre for > fuel cost (gassers here are typically 15 to 20 cents, real-world, even with > oil under $45/barre l) That's interesting! > > There's still a lot of education to be done. My longstanding opinion, > reinforced today: don't talk to people about the enviro-benefits or climate > change; they don't care - instead, talk to their wallets; that gets them > excited. > >> On 8/13/2015 4:10 PM, via EV wrote: >> Message: 1 >> Date: Wed, 12 Aug 2015 14:44:14 -0700 (PDT) >> From: brucedp5 via EV<[email protected]> >> To:[email protected] >> Subject: [EVDL] EVent: EV ride-n-drives @EcoDistrict EV Day 10a-3p >> 8/13 Ottawa.ca >> Message-ID:<[email protected]> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 >> >> >> >> http://www.ottawacommunitynews.com/news-story/5794321-test-drive-an-electric-car-aug-13/ >> Test drive an electric car Aug. 13 >> [20150812] By Steph Willems,Ottawa West News >> >> [image / File >> http://media.zuza.com/5/4/54efb474-e8a1-4f19-afda-064cc0b61d0e/IMG_8510___Content.jpg >> EV Day Organizers of this year?s Ottawa EV Day on Sparks Street are hoping >> for an attendance boost over last year?s inaugural event, pictured here. >> ] >> >> Future here now >> If you?ve ever dreamed of what the electric car lifestyle feels like, Ottawa >> EcoDistrict will make it easy for you. >> >> On Aug. 13, the parking lane of O?Connor Street at Sparks Street will be >> filled with silently idling electric vehicles, ready for an eager test >> driver to hop behind the wheel. The opportunity is part of EcoDistrict?s >> second annual Ottawa EV Day on Sparks street, an initiative that serves to >> showcase EV technology in the hopes of compelling local drivers pass over >> gas-fueled vehicles in favour of a zero emission option. >> >> Organizers from the environmental advocacy non-profit are again teaming up >> with partner Plug?n Drive and members of the Electric Vehicle Council of >> Ottawa to pull off the event. >> >> ?Our focus this year is on ensuring we get way more people out at the >> (Sparks Street) Mall, have them get a feel for EV?s and get it into their >> minds for a next purchase,? said Don Grant, executive director of Ottawa >> EcoDistrict, adding that there will be a diverse mix of partial or >> full-electric vehicles , including the [Mitsubishi i-MiEV, & BMW i3 EVs, >> Ford C-Max Energi and Chevrolet Volt pih]. >> >> Other EVs might be added as the event date draws closer ... >> >> ?We?re hoping to boost demand for EVs not just in downtown Ottawa, but >> Ottawa in general,? said EcoDistrict program co-ordinator Clark Trivers, >> adding that this year?s setup will be more helpful for the test drivers ... >> ?This year we have an agreement with the city to occupy the parking lane of >> O?Connor to accommodate test drives.? >> >> Grant added that the event has been moved to an August date, rather than the >> September event held last year. Though the weather was fine for last year?s >> EV Day, holding it a month earlier increases the odds of fair weather, he >> said. >> >> Though a wide range of EV or partial-EV vehicles have been available for >> several years, Grant is interested in a slew of new EVs expected to arrive >> within the next year or two that could prove to be game-changers. For the >> ones available for testing at the event, Grant anticipates participants >> won?t have to wait long before getting the chance to slide behind the wheel. >> >> Ottawa EV Day will be held Aug. 13 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with the bulk of >> the action held outside 165 Sparks St., near O?Connor. More information on >> the event, the organization and its partners can be found at >> ottawaecodistrict.org. >> [? ottawacommunitynews.com] > > -- > Darryl McMahon > Freelance Project Manager > _______________________________________________ > UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.evdl.org/help/index.html#usub > http://lists.evdl.org/listinfo.cgi/ev-evdl.org > For EV drag racing discussion, please use NEDRA > (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEDRA) > > _______________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.evdl.org/help/index.html#usub http://lists.evdl.org/listinfo.cgi/ev-evdl.org For EV drag racing discussion, please use NEDRA (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEDRA)
