National Drive Electric Week Revs Up

By Peter Aronson

National Drive Electric Week comes at an important time in our effort to drastically increase the number of electric vehicles on the road.

We hope that the annual event, running from September 27 to October 6, with scores of events planned nationwide, in every state except Georgia and North Dakota, will spark plug everyone’s interest in going electric.

It’s scientifically  proven that driving an electric vehicle versus one guzzling gasoline overall reduces the user’s carbon footprint.

“… [O]ver the lifetime of the vehicle, total GHG emissions associated with manufacturing, charging, and driving an EV are typically lower than the total GHGs associated with a gasoline car,” the U.S. Environmental Agency reports, in dispelling myths about EV vehicles. “That’s because EVs have zero tailpipe emissions and are typically responsible for significantly fewer GHGs during operation.” 

It’s also important to remember that the tr ansportation sector is the largest emitter of greenhouse gasses in the country, accounting for 28 percent of the emissions total, with vehicles making up 80 percent of that 28 percent.

Events during National Drive Electric Week will allow EV manufacturers to showcase what amounts to more than 40 models available across the country and offer test drives and information for consumers. The events also are for EV owners to show off their vehicles and talk about the virtue of owning an EV. 

Dozens of events are planned for the New York tri-state area, from Bedford, West Babylon and New Hyde Park in New York, to Moorestown, Princeton Junction and Flemington in New Jersey to Southbury, New Britain, West Hartford and Old Saybrook in Connecticut. These are just some of the events planned in the tri-state area. To search by zip code to find an event, go here.

“We are urging consumers who are considering buying a new car, those who want to trade in their car to reduce their carbon footprint, and even those who may need a new car in a few years to participate and take a look at what’s available on the market,” said Andrew Williams, NYLCV’s Deputy Director for State Policy, who will be representing the League at the Schenectady event on October 6. 

The truth is, with a little planning, you can own an EV and never have to buy gasoline again – in your life. Almost all EVs get more than 200 miles per charge and many get more than 300. If you go on a long trip, you can plan your recharging stops by searching the PlugShares website. If you buy a plug-in hybrid, which has an electric charge of up to approximately 50 miles, then uses gasoline after that charge is exhausted, you can often drive for many days or longer without using gasoline if you don’t drive more than 50 miles at a given time. And even when using gasoline, the overall benefit is palpable. For example, a Toyota Rav4 Prime, a plug-in hybrid, gets more than 60 miles per gallon when combining the electric charge with the gasoline use.  

And a significant upswing in EV buying could not come at a better time. While the predictions for the near term are that EV sales will increase this year from last year, the pace of growth is less than it has been in recent years.

In 2017, the total number of EVs sold was 64,862, and the number of hybrids purchased was 451,133. By 2020, those two numbers had jumped to 257,872 for EVs and 507,835 for hybrids. In 2023, the numbers were 1,189,051 EVs and 1,405,092 hybrids, a more than 400 percent increase in EVs and almost a 300 percent increase in hybrids since 2020. These are impressive numbers, yet in the first quarter of 2024, electric vehicles only comprised 7.9 percent of the new car registrations, down .3 percent from the previous quarter. California leads the nation with 26 percent of its new vehicles being EVs.   

“All potential consumers should attend a National Drive Electric Week event,” said Williams. “It’s also a great chance for government officials  – especially those who help make decisions about which school buses, town automobiles and trucks a community purchases – to better understand the market and the benefits.” 

For a list of the events by day across the country, please visit this National Drive Electric Week website. 

To read more about the EVs available at auto dealers across the country, please visit Plug in America or PlugStar. To learn about tax credits available, visit Sierra Club’s guide. For New York state credits, click here. To find charging stations in New York and elsewhere, go to this charging station locator.

Wishing everyone a fully electric National Drive Electric Week. 

Peter Aronson, a volunteer writer at the New York League of Conservation Voters since September 2022, is a former journalist and retired attorney. He is the author of Mandalay Hawk’s Dilemma: The United States of Anthropocene, a novel for middle-grade readers about kids fighting global warming. Kirkus Reviews, in a starred review, wrote: “A scathing work and an essential blueprint for youth battling climate change.” To read more about Peter, visit his website www.peteraronsonbooks.com or to purchase his book, click here.