Worcester Electric Vehicle Ride and Drive Event

Thursday, September 17, 2015   |   5:00 PM to 8:00 PM

All showcase car spaces are now full! 

EV owners who would still like to attend, please do, you will be able to park in an adjacent lot.

WPI has two EV charging stations. One is located on the main campus in front of Goddard Hall, and the second, a dual-charging station, is located at WPI's new parking garage at 151 Park Avenue. 

In recognition of this year's National Drive Electric Week, the Institute for Energy and Sustainability will be holding an Electric Vehicle event on Thursday, September 17, 2015 at Worcester Polytechnic Institute from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Come hear about how driving electric is more fun, convenient, and less expensive than driving a traditional gasoline car. Admission is free and all members of the family are welcome!

About National Drive Electric Week

National Drive Electric Week (September 12-20, 2015) is "a nationwide celebration to heighten awareness of today's widespread availability of plug-in vehicles and highlight the benefits of all-electric and plug-in hybrid-electric cars, trucks, motorcycles, and more." With many independent events taking place in over 100 cities nationwide, NDEW has a guiding mission of driving mass adoption of electric vehicles. Plug In America, the Sierra Club, and the Electric Auto Association are sponsoring this initiative at the national level, and Nissan has most recently offered its support to local Nissan dealerships who participate in these events.

Featured Electric Vehicles

BMW i3 Provided by: Wagner BMW of Shrewsbury		Proterra Electric Bus Provided by: Worcester Regional Transit Authority

Featured Clean Tech and Sustainable Energy Companies and Organizations

	ChargePoint operates the world's largest and most open EV charging network. They are transforming the transportation industry by providing the charging stations, mobile app, and network that allow people to charge their cars everywhere they go. They will be demonstrating a live ChargePoint charging station and providing information about ChargePoint products and services.
	EnergyROI (EROI) is in the business of providing meter/monitoring services for municipal, commercial and industrial applications as well as developing electrical generation facilities. EROI develops solar electric systems and is the distributor of the Spire ultrasonic flow meter line of products.
	Next Step Living is a leading provider of whole-home energy solutions. A one-stop service provider of informed advice, funding guidance and expert work, Next Step Living partners with more than 400 municipalities, civic organizations, leading corporations and utility companies to deliver energy-efficient and environmentally friendly solutions for better living. They will be displaying energy-efficient home amenities and talking about Mass Save home energy assessments, community solar, and more.
	TechniArt promotes and sells energy efficient lighting technologies to residential customers at events throughout New England. Their mobile retail sales team will be offering incandescent-style LED bulbs, LED desk lamps, and advanced power strips at deeply discounted prices made possible by National Grid.
	Sevcon manufactures high quality motor controllers and system components for electric vehicles. They offer a diverse range of products on electrically powered vehicles from fork lift trucks to electric cars and bikes. They will be displaying 4 to 5 of their innovative high voltage AC & DC motor controllers.
	The Worcester Regional Transit Authority, in its effort to make a move to be more eco-friendly, has 6 Proterra Ecoride BE-25 Fast Charge Battery Electric transit buses and 17 diesel electric hybrid buses. With the purchase of these zero emission electric buses, the WRTA is now a leader in the field among transit agencies in the region, and has used 12% less fossil fuels between 2014 and 2015.
	Founded by legendary conservationist John Muir in 1892, the Sierra Club is now the nation's largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization with more than two million members and supporters. Their successes range from protecting millions of acres of wilderness to helping pass the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Endangered Species Act. More recently, they've made history by leading the charge to move away from the dirty fossil fuels that cause climate disruption and toward a clean energy economy.
	MassRIDES is a free program of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) designed to help reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality and mobility. To accomplish these goals, MassRIDES works with both employers and commuters within the Commonwealth to promote the use of commute options. Come learn more about their programs and even receive some prizes!
	Yeloha is the world's Solar Sharing Network. Their mission is to unleash the benefits of solar energy to all people, regardless of where they live or their economic status. They will be offering a special discount on their solar panel subscriptions in honor of Drive Electric Week! Their team members will also be on hand to answer all your questions about solar sharing.
	The Massachusetts Offers Rebates for Electric Vehicles (MOR-EV) program provides incentives to Massachusetts drivers who purchase or lease for 36 months a new qualified electric vehicle. The MOR-EV program is funded by the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) and aids in the state’s goal to reduce greenhouse gas emission levels. For a complete list of eligible vehicles and information about the MOR-EV program, learn more at www.mor-ev.org. MOR-EV staff will be at the event to answer your program questions and provide information on program-eligible vehicles, available incentives and program requirements.

  Speakers

Signature Hotdogs from The Dogfather!

The Dogfather food truck will be at the event selling its signature Extreme Hotdogs, chili, and fried dough! The Dogfather is family-owned and operated right here in Worcester and they are unmatched when it comes to quality and originality. Every hotdog is made to order and is perfect every time!

Event Location, Directions, and Parking

The event will be taking place at the WPI Higgins House Parking Lot located near the corner of Park Avenue and Salisbury Street. 151 Salisbury Street, Worcester, MA 01609 is the address to input into a GPS for directions to the location. Parking will be available in the WPI parking garage located on Park Avenue. Signs will be posted that will direct you to the proper parking locations and event site.

Interested in Participating?

• EV Owners: If you would like to display your electric vehicle at our event, please click the "Register" button above. Select "Yes" in the drop-down menu next to "Will you be bringing a plug-in vehicle to show?" and fill out the rest of the information.
• Volunteers: Please click the "Volunteer" button on this page if you are interested in assisting us on the day of the event. We are always looking for people to help direct attendees to the event and locations around the event, as well as helping with other event logistics. Your support is greatly appreciated!
• Companies: Interested in setting up an information booth to display your products and inform attendees about what you offer? Click the "Contact" button or send an email to Kevin Wittmer at kwittmer [at] energyandsustainability [dot] com.
• Even if you're not bringing an EV or interested in volunteering, we always encourage potential attendees to register in advance for the event. Please click the "Register" button and fill out all of the fields. Thank you!

Thank You to Our Partners

National Grid is an electricity and natural gas delivery company that connects nearly 7 million customers to vital energy sources through its networks in NY, MA, and RI.  National Grid operates a network of more than 160 public Level 2 EV charging stations across its service territory (visible to all EV drivers on Plugshare.com).  Through its U.S. Connect21 strategy, National Grid is transforming its electricity and natural gas networks to support the 21st century digital economy with smarter, cleaner, and more resilient energy solutions.