National Drive Electric Week
Kick Gas! in Annapolis
Annapolis, MD
Oct 01, 2022

Event Report

We Kicked Gas and Beat the Rain!

In spite of a dreary forecast, our 10th "Kick Gas in Annapolis!" EV show at Annapolis Town Center was a great success. It seemed like a miracle. There was rain before the EV show started and then it stayed dry until it was almost over. In between, some 60 cars, trucks, a motorcycle, an electric school bus, and electric bikes and scooters were on display touting the benefits of driving electric. A couple of hundred "EV Curious" members of the public came to see the vehicles and to hear our seminars.

Our show was dedicated to the memory of Bob Bruninga, USNA professor, inventor, ham radio enthusiast, and tireless advocate of saving energy and driving electric. We miss his humor and knowledge. 

We would like to also thank our VIP speakers who opened the show:

·       Maryland Senator Sarah Elfreth

·       Maryland Deputy Secretary of the Environment Suzanne Dorsey

·       BGE Senior Vice President Alex Nuñez

·       Anne Arundel County Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Land Use Lori Rhodes (representing County Executive Steuart Pittman)

·       City of Annapolis Economic Policy Analyst Brian Cahalan (representing Mayor Gavin Buckley)

·       Electric Vehicle Association of Greater DC President Ron Kaltenbaugh

And thank you to City Aldermen Ross Arnett and Rob Savidge as well as County Councilwoman Lisa Rodvien for attending.

We want to give big thank you to R. Earl Lewis, Deputy Secretary of Transportation and the State's point person on EVs, for spending several hours with us and even giving his insights during the seminars. It was an honor to have the support of all the speakers and VIPs.

Our expert seminar speakers:

·       Ron Kaltenbaugh, EVADC - Climate Change and Driving Electric

·       Amey Bayes, BGE - Residential Home Performance with Energy Star Audit

·       Kristy Fleischmann Groncki, BGE - EVsmart Program Offerings

·       Howard Shure - Taking a Long Trip in an EV

·       Tom Lewis - Installing EV Charging at a Condo

We were excited to have brand new models brought by two of our sponsors, the BMW i4 and the Mercedes EQS580 SUV, EQS580 Sedan and EQB300 SUV. Our driver-owned cars included a 1998 Jaguar XJR that the owner converted to electric, a Ford F-150 Lightning, a Rivian pickup truck, a Tesla Model S Plaid, and a Zero Motorcycle, among many other makes and models.

Our headlining sponsor, BGE, brought an electric transit van that contained a mobile battery bank, an electric box truck, a Ford Mach-e, and an electric school bus. The transit van even charged the Mach-e and powered a welding machine!

Thank you to Neo Pizza and Tuscan Prime for providing food and drink and great discounts. And thank you to True Food Kitchen and Gordon Biersch for their discounts offered to our attendees. The Trademark Property Company, manager of Annapolis Town Center could not have been more accommodating.

Fitzgerald Volkswagen of Annapolis was our Charging Green Business Sponsor. Event partners included BMW of Annapolis, Mercedes Benz of Annapolis, Chesapeake Bay Trust, Bird Micromobility, Solar Energy Services, EV Institute, and Neighborhood Sun. The Electric Vehicle Association of Greater DC, the local drivers’ group, assisted Annapolis Green in the presentation of this showcase.

Bird Micromobility conducted “ride and drives” of their e-scooters and e-bicycles.

We provided information in English and Spanish about EVs, charging, government incentives and more provided by EVADC, Plug in America, Maryland EV, and Wells Fargo among other sources.

Photos of the event will be posted on our website: https://annapolisgreen.com/drive-electric/

The video of our event is not yet ready but once it is, it will be posted on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUIbMqBnrmfcyxSYpxfNcBg

photo by: Annapolis Green Dodging raindrops, "EV Curious" people in the Annapolis area were interested to learn about electric cars, trucks, motorcycles, scooters and bicycles at Annapolis Green's "Kick Gas in Annapolis!" National Drive Electric showcase. Shown here are some of the over 60 vehicles on display: Ford F-150 LIghtning, Jaguar i-Pace, Tesla Model S, Chevrolet Bolt, Jaguar XJR conversion, and a Rivian.

More photos from this event.

Event Description

PRESENTS

Saturday, October 1
10 am - 2 pm
Annapolis Town Center, 1906 Towne Centre Boulevard, Annapolis

Join us for a fun and informative National Drive Electric Week event!

Dedicated to the memory of Bob Bruninga, engineer, inventor, and EV advocate.*

Plans are underway for the best and biggest version of our annual National Drive Electric Week EV Showcase. In addition to the EV showcase, we will feature seminars and demonstrations. Most of our vehicles will be brought by their owners who will be on hand to answer your questions and give you the real story about making driving electric a part of your life.  So if you are “EV Curious,” this event is for you!

Note: While we are keeping an eye on the weather, our event is a GO! If the situation changes and conditions become are unsafe, we will reconsider. So wear your foulies (rain gear for you landlubbers) and come on down. Sailors in Annapolis know how to party in the rain and we do too! Watch our Facebook page for updates. 

Come at 10 am for a special ribbon cutting featuring State of Maryland and utility EV officials and experts. With over 54,000 plug-in vehicles on the road in Maryland now, we're on our way to reaching the State goal of 300,000 by 2025.

We will also present several informative mini-seminars:

Time	Topic	Speaker
10:30 – 11:00	Climate Change and Driving Electric	Ron Kaltenbaugh, EVADC
11:15 – 11:45	Residential Home Performance with Energy Star Audit	Amey Bayes, BGE
12:00 – 12:30	EVsmart Program offerings	Kristy Fleischmann Groncki, BGE
12:45 – 1:15	Taking a Long Trip in an EV	Howard Shure
1:30 – 2:00	Installing EV Charging at a Condo	Tom Lewis

We’re looking for EV drivers willing to share their knowledge and show off their cars, trucks, motorcycles, and e-bikes.
If you’re an EV driver, please register here for this fun event.

Make model, and year of vehicles registered so far:

BMW i4: 2022
Chevrolet Bolt: 2017, 2019, 2020
Chevrolet Volt: 2017, 2018
Ford Mustang Mach-E: 2021
Genesis GV60 Advanced: 2023
Harley Davidson LiveWire Motorcycle: 2020
Hyundai Ioniq 5: 2022
Hyundai KONA Electric: 2019, 2020
Jaguar XJR Conversion: 1998
Kia Nero Electric: 2022
Mazda MX-30: 2022
Mercedes-Benz EQS580 SUV: 2023
Mercedes-Benz EQS580 Sedan: 2022
Mercedes-Benz EQB300: 2023
Nissan LEAF: 2018
Tesla Model 3: 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022
Tesla Model S: 2013, 2015, 2022
Tesla Model Y: 2020, 2021, 2022
Tesla Model X: 2022
Think City: 2011
Toyota Prius Prime: 2019, 2021
Volkswagen ID.4: 2021, 2022
Zero Motorcycle: 2017

These owners have a total of over 1.6 million miles driven on battery!

BGE will bring its company Ford Mustang Mach-E and Ford E-Transit van -- used by its Fleet shops where the tools and equipment on the vehicle that would typically be powered by small gasoline engines are now all battery electric -- and its International eMV Class 7 Box Truck! BGE is also bringing a full-size electric school bus.

LOCAL EVENT SPONSORS

SUPERCHARGED HEADLINE SPONSOR

Whether you’re an EV driver, considering buying an EV, or even a multifamily property owner, BGE’s EVsmart® Program gives you the rebates, tools, and information you need to charge faster, smarter, and more conveniently than ever before. There’s a lot to learn about EVs and EVsmart® is there to help. 

Want the latest scoop on EVs and EV Charging? Have a look at BGE’s fun Joe on the Go videos! Joe’s got info on these topics and more:

EVs can save you money
There’s an EV out there for everyone
How quickly does an EV charge? (hint: it depends)
How to charge your EV
Charging tips for cold weather…and more!

CHARGING GREEN BUSINESS SPONSOR

Fitzway
Fitzgerald Volkswagen of Annapolis

Electric vehicles (EVs) are fun to drive, cheaper, and easier to maintain than gas-powered vehicles with no greenhouse gas emissions. With tax incentives available and a fast-growing network of charging stations, find out if owning an EV is the right choice for you. Check out the all-electric ID.4 today! To learn more visit the Fitzgerald Volkswagen of Annapolis dealership website.Fitzgerald Volkswagen of Annapolis dealership website.

Check out even more Electric Vehicle Information from Fitzway. 

See The 10 Coolest Things About the 2021 Volkswagen ID.4″ video.

EVENT PARTNERS

The BMW iX and i4, electric vehicles are designed for electrifying adventures! Whether you're looking for an all-electric Sports Activity Vehicle with pioneering design and spacious comfort or a sporty Gran Coupe that delivers exhilarating all-electric performance, the future is in your hands! To learn more visit the BMW of Annapolis dealership website. Check out the BMW all-electric inventory here.

The auto industry is going Green and driving Maryland’s beloved Bay Plate makes a positive impact in local communities across the state. Proceeds from the sale of BayPlates are distributed through the top-rated nonprofit Chesapeake Bay Trust to local community groups, schools, and other non-profits, for tree planting, clean-ups,stormwater projects, environmental education, and other conservation and restoration programs. Additionally, there are great perks with Bay Plates like prime parking spots, discounts at restaurants, merchandise and service discounts, and so much more! The impact extends beyond the number of trees planted and habitats restored: it’s also measured in lives touched, as people experience firsthand the health effects of a beautiful and healthy Chesapeake watershed. Learn more about the Bay Plate and purchase yours for only $20 today.

Less traffic. Less carbon. Together.
micromobility on e-scooters and bikes

Bird offers Eco-friendly Transportation for All

More Micro-Electric Vehicles can lead to fewer cars on the road, and fewer cars on the road means we're reducing the amount of carbon emissions and traffic congestion across the globe. In 2021, Bird riders had the same impact on carbon sequestration as one year of protecting 2.5 square miles of the Amazon rainforest. The end goal? Cleaner air, less traffic, and more joy-for everyone! To learn more visit Learn how to Bird online and at our show! There will be scooters and bicycles available for test drives at our show!

Solar Energy Services provides thoughtful design and safe, dependable installation of distributed solar energy systems, including solar PV,
solar thermal, and energy storage systems. SES provides expertise and effective ongoing system support,
focused on maximizing the value of the solar energy assets of customers and clients.

Mercedes-Benz of Annapolis is excited to showcase its newest selection of all-electric models that are changing the future of Mercedes-Benz and automobiles everywhere. With new 2022 EQS and EQB models arriving daily, in addition to the first-ever EQE coming later this year, Mercedes-Benz of Annapolis is embracing an electrified future.
For more information on the selection of all-electric Mercedes-Benz vehicles, please reach out to General Sales Manager Mike Herron, at 443-875-0473 or visit MercedesofAnnapolis.com.

The Electric Vehicle Institute (EVI) is a highly-focused electric vehicle and EV supply equipment company based in Baltimore. EVI offers practical, comprehensive engineering and business solutions to organizations in the US and overseas in their implementation of EV infrastructure. EVI provides a range of cutting-edge products, services, and solutions in the constantly evolving world of EVs. To learn more visit the Electric Vehicle Institute website.

The Electric Vehicle Association of Greater DC (EVADC) is our local drivers' group. Members are knowledgeable about all things EV and look forward to speaking with you and answering your questions about the drive electric experience Many of the drivers bringing their cars are members. You can join even if you haven't gone electric yet! EVADC is an organization of electric vehicle owners, educators and enthusiasts dedicated to promoting the use of electric vehicles as an environmental and energy benefit to society. EVA/DC was formed in 1980 as a chapter of the nationwide Electric Auto Association (EAA), and holds regular monthly meetings, public displays, car shows and tech sessions to exchange information. 

EVENT HOST

The management at Annapolis Town Center, Trademark Property Company, is very supportive and looking forward to our event. There is Level 2 and Level 3 charging available as well as a Tesla supercharger bank at Annapolis Town Center. Come and enjoy the show and the many restaurants, bars and lots of shopping! There will be something for everyone.

In Memoriam

*Our October 1, 2022 Kick Gas in Annapolis event is dedicated to the memory of Bob Bruninga, a tireless advocate for energy conservation and driving electric. Even as he fought advanced sarcoma, he insisted on participating in our EV showcase events, most recently last fall at City Dock, to the consternation of his family who tried to keep him safe against infection. Bob had an urgent message that he wanted to share with anybody who would listen: that we need to "lick our addition to fossil fuels." Cancer and COVID claimed him last February.

Dan Rodricks of the Baltimore Sun wrote a moving tribute to Bob's legacy as an EV advocate, Naval officer, professor of engineering at the Naval Academy, inventor, ham radio operator, and more. Rodricks called Bob "a forward-thinking citizen of Planet Earth." How fitting. We will miss Bob, his good humor, and his solar-panel powered "FrankenVolt" at our upcoming Kick Gas in Annapolis event.

Registered Attendees

There are currently 149 attendees registered.

Owners of These Vehicles Have Registered To Attend

Registered attendees report 1,704,182 electric miles driven.