Drivers Charged Up about Electric Vehicles

For electric vehicle enthusiasts, silence is golden. And the silence of an electric motor powering your car means not spending $4.25 a gallon for fuel and not contributing to greenhouse gases.

EV fans turned out May 21 in Novato for Sustainable Novato's first 2011 Community Forum, held at the complex in Novato.

Several privately owned Chevy Volts and Nissan Leafs were among the many electric-powered cars, trucks and two-wheeled vehicles on display. More than a dozen commercial dealers and private owners brought vehicles, including Zap, Sparrow, Novato Chevrolet, North Bay Nissan, and San Rafael Mitsubishi. Two-wheeled vehicle exhibits came from Brammo Electric Motorcycles, Electric Wheels West and PiMobility. 

The bright green paint job on the College of Marin’s converted Volkswagen Thing — a safari-stye Beetle that was sold worldwide in the 1970s — attracted lots of curious onlookers. The rolling oddity is the pride and joy of the faculty and students at the ’ Automotive Technology Program.

At the other end of the parking lot, David Dixon Jr.’s award-winning solar/human powered hybrid quadcycle anchored the display. Inside, Ecotality displayed examples of currently available charging stations.

The event included a two-hour televised presentation on electric cars, charging stations, renewable power and reduction of greenhouse gases. Keynote speaker Dale Miller, president of the Golden Gate Electric Vehicle Association, shared solid statistics about the history, technology and future of electric cars. Bob Brown, San Rafael’s Community Development Director, and Karen Schkolnick of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, spoke about electric vehicle charging stations, which are starting to show up around the Bay Area. 

Damon Connolly, president of Marin Energy Authority, encouraged the audience to consider green energy to power their green cars, and Dixon, a student at in Novato, shared a video about the construction of his quadcycle.  The moderator for the panel was Roy Pfeifer, Sustainable Novato’s treasurer and director of transportation initiatives.

The panel presentation was televised by Novato Public Access Television for broadcast at a later date.  Co-sponsors of the event were three Sustainables (Marin, San Rafael and Fairfax), the Golden Gate Electric Vehicle Association, Climate Protection Campaign and Marin Link. Learn more about those organizations at  www.sustainablenovato.org.