The Town’s Sustainable Fairfield Task Force (SFTF) proudly announces that National Drive Electric Week returns in September and Fairfield will mark the occasion once again with a special display of electric cars, motorcycles and bicycles, offering residents a close-up look at the latest in electric vehicle (EV) models as well as some test drives for a “behind-the-wheel” introduction to the exciting EV experience.
The event will also offer exhibits on other forms of sustainable transportation, including biking, walking, ride sharing and public transportation, and clean energy opportunities for homes and businesses.
Hosted by the SFTF, Fairfield’s fourth annual Electric Vehicle Showcase will be held on Saturday, September 8th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Fairfield Warde High School under the school’s new solar panel-topped carports at 100 Knapps Highway.
The event will bring together local car dealers, electric car club members, and EV owners both local and from throughout the Tri-State region to display the current state of technology. Among this year’s exhibitors will be Zero Motorcycles, the leading manufacturer of electric motorcycles.
Last year’s event featured more than 40 vehicles. This year, Clean Cities of Greater New Haven, the Fairfield Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee, CT Rides, Connecticut Green Bank and United Illuminating/Energize CT will be on hand to promote sustainable transportation alternatives, financing and incentives for EVs and other energy improvements. Hands-on activities and demonstrations, many of them kid-oriented, will illustrate how different modes of transportation affect our health and the health of the environment.
National Drive Electric Week, which is September 8-16, is a nationwide celebration to heighten awareness of today's widespread availability of plug-in vehicles and to highlight the benefits of all-electric and hybrid-electric cars, trucks, motorcycles, and more.
First Selectman Mike Tetreau said, “Environmental sustainability is a huge focus for Fairfield. We are showing that commitment in many ways such as providing the highest density of EV charging stations in southwestern Connecticut and holding events like the EV Showcase to highlight the environmental benefits of EVs. I want to thank all of the hard working members of the SFTF as well as Fairfield’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee for their ongoing commitment in making Fairfield a more environmentally healthy community.”
SFTF chairman Scott Thompson stated, “Electric vehicles are better for the environment than standard cars and buses – and they’re also fun to drive, less expensive to maintain than gasoline vehicles, and increasingly affordable. We hope residents will come to the Showcase to see for themselves why owning an EV makes more sense than ever. And walking, biking, ride sharing, and so many other options are even more efficient and better for our health than EVs. That’s why this year we decided to include the many options of transportation available to us in Fairfield and surrounding areas.”
Event admission is free, food trucks will be on site and, thanks to Aquarion, complimentary water will be provided.
For more information on the Fairfield event, including how to register to display an EV vehicle, please visit: https://driveelectricweek.org/event.php?eventid=1260.
To see a short video feature on the 2015 EV Showcase, please visit: https://tinyurl.com/ya4av7zf. For more information on National Drive Electric Week, please visit: https://driveelectricweek.org/index.php.
For more information or questions, please contact SFTF member Mary Hogue at (203) 256-9802.
The photo shows the new solar carports at Fairfield Warde High School off of Knapps Highway where this year's EV Showcase will be held.