Electric vehicle owners highlighted the fun, clean-air benefits and cost-savings of electric cars last Sunday, as part of the second annual National Plug In Day. The event took place in St. Paul in the South lot of Como Pavilion, by the charging stations and solar PV canopy.
Plug-in vehicles by Nissan, GM, Mitsubishi, Toyota, Tesla, Ford and others were on display; and owners shared their experiences owning and using plug-in vehicles. There were also a few custom built electric vehicles on hand as well.
Automobiles, above all else, represent America’s addiction to dirty oil. A fully electric vehicle uses electricity to power a battery – typically one made of lithium ion. No gasoline, no dirty oil changes, no internal combustion engine. Most new fully electric vehicles can drive 70-130 miles on one charge. An extended range electric vehicle or a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle runs on electricity for a certain number of miles, and as their battery runs out of juice, a gasoline powered engine or generator kicks in.
The Twin Cities event was one of more than 60 across the country, from Los Angeles to New York, where electric vehicle owners and interested citizens participated in electric car parades, “tailpipe-free” tailgate parties, and other events. Find out more about Sierra Club’s Go Electric Campaign and tell Govenor Dayton how we can move beyond oil with electric vehicles.
