PUHI — Take an electric vehicle for a spin from 9 a.m. to noon today at the Kauai Community Market at Kauai Community College, in celebration of National Drive Electric Week.
Local dealerships are showcasing EVs and you can get behind the wheel courtesy of KCC, Kauai Island Utility Cooperative, Blue Planet Foundation, Sustainable Transportation of Hawaii and Kauai EV.
“In a place like Kauai, where solar energy continues to expand, electric vehicles are a smart choice to reduce your fuel costs and your environmental impact,” said Lauren Reichelt, Blue Planet Foundation’s clean transportation lead. “Those benefits aside, they’re generally great cars to drive.”
Current EV owners will also be there to share their experience, and there will be educational materials on hand about benefits, technology and incentives of EVs.
Kauai County Sustainability Coordinator Ben Sullivan said it’s a chance to talk with EV drivers and salesmen.
“Electric vehicles, including bikes, cars, buses and others offer many benefits. EVs are low-maintenance and reliable, and in many cases extremely high performance,” Sullivan said. “Car manufacturers are offering more and more EVs today, and their price is coming down while their range is going up. Most new EVs have 150 to 200 miles or greater range.”
It’s the eighth annual National Drive Electric Week, and Kauai is part of a coast-to-coast celebration of electric vehicles that is held Sept. 8 to 16 in all 50 states for the second year in a row.
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Jessica Else, staff writer, can be reached at 245-0452 or at jelse@thegardenisland.com.
