Happy National Drive Electric Week! This nationwide celebration takes place the third week in September to highlight the benefits of all-electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and to heighten awareness of today’s widespread availability of electric cars, trucks, motorcycles and more.

National Drive Electric Week started in 2011 as “National Plug In Day” with the simple idea to hold simultaneous events across the country on the same day. As electric vehicle availability and demand grew, the single day of celebration expanded to an entire week of events. National Drive Electric Week 2015 is expected to include more events in more cities than ever before — with more drivers reaching out to share the many advantages of driving electric with the public.

Learn more about National Drive Electric Week by visiting www.driveelectricweek.org

Try Out an Electric Vehicle on a Test Track

Want to learn more about going electric? The Fox Valley Electric Auto Association is hosting a public Ride-N-Drive event  from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 20, at the Naperville Test Track, 1720 W. Jefferson St. in Naperville, just west of Ogden Avenue.

The FVEAA, the Chicagoland chapter of the national Electric Auto Association, is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting electric vehicles, the infrastructure, and the companies that support them. The Ride-N-Drive will showcase the ease, value, and enjoyment of driving an electric vehicle. Dealers like BMW, Nissan, Chevrolet and Mitsubishi will have electric vehicles available to test drive for free on the test track, offering a chance for people to get a real understanding of what driving electric means.

Kane County’s Electric Vehicle

You may recall that Kane County purchased the first electric vehicle for its government fleet back in April. Now that the Environmental Division staff have been driving the vehicle for five months, how is it working out for the County?

To date, staff have driven 2,080 total miles — using only 8.3 gallons of gas and a total of 525 kWh of electricity to charge the vehicle. Thus, the total cost of gas and electricity to fuel the car has been approximately $80 for five months, compared to the total fuel cost of more than $400 for the previous vehicle during the same time frame last year.

Electric charging has displaced 66 gallons of gas, accounting for 220 kg in greenhouse gas savings.

Kane County Environmental Division staff have driven 2,080 miles while only using 8.3 gallons of gas.

Environmental Division Director Ken Anderson says the vehicle is proving to be a win-win for taxpayers and the environment.

“We are already experiencing a significant savings on fuel, with the added environmental benefit of reducing greenhouse gases from our vehicle travel,” he said. “As we move forward with this pilot project, we hope other agencies will evaluate the benefits and consider electric vehicles for their operations.”

Testimonials: Electric Vehicle Drivers Love Their Cars

Kane County government may have just entered the world of electric vehicles, but these vehicles are growing in popularity throughout the community — especially as more charging stations are being installed at both municipal buildings and commercial locations.

The Kane County Environmental Division reached out to electric vehicle drivers in our area and asked, Why do you drive an electric vehicle, and what are the benefits of doing so?

Batavia resident Robert Atac was the first person to charge an electric vehicle at the Third Street Courthouse station when it opened in 2012.

“Reduced dependence on foreign oil. Electric vehicles have a smooth and quiet ride.”

– Bob A., Batavia resident and driver of a Chevy Volt

“There is a finite amount of petroleum hiding on this planet of ours, and when it’s gone, it’s gone … I like being immune to the price fluctuations of gasoline brought about by unstable geopolitics. Even for none of those reasons, electric cars are fun to drive: instant acceleration, flat torque curve, and quiet!”

– Kevin B., Batavia resident and driver of a Chevy Volt and Tesla Model S

“The obvious benefit is no gas, no oil changes, no emissions, none of the typical maintenance of a gas fueled car.”

– Gerri V., Kane County employee and driver of a Nissan Leaf

“I own a Volt and I absolutely love it, but I also know that it took a while to get used to the differences between it and a full-gasoline car … I hope that it meets the county’s needs! Good luck, and I hope this is the first step in developing a fleet of electric vehicles for the county and a larger and more sustainable market for electric vehicles generally!”

— Gregory S., St. Charles resident and driver of a Chevy Volt

To learn more about electric vehicles that are available in the Chicago region, check out http://pluginchicagometro.org/.

Kane County Board Chairman Chris Lauzen takes the county’s Volt to a meeting during National Drive Electric Week.