Electric Vehicle Ride & Drive

The Greater Lansing Area Clean Cities Coalition, in partnership with the Michigan Agency for Energy, Mid-Michigan Environmental Action Council, and Midwest EVOLVE, is hosting an Electric Vehicle Ride and Drive for the public at the Michigan Energy Office on April 17 from 9 AM – 1 PM. Take a ride in hybrid and electric vehicles and hear firsthand what it’s like to own one! The event will be held at 7109 W. Saginaw Highway, Lansing, Michigan 48917.

Vehicles expected to be available for test drives include the BMW i3, Chevrolet Bolt, Chevrolet Volt, Tesla Model 3, and Tesla Model S. The Lion Electric Company will have an electric school bus on display and available for rides.

Travis Rabenberg, a world traveler, renowned for overland trips, such as a recent trip from Chile to Alaska, will be attending and talking with attendees about the advantages of EVs. Travis is outfitting a Tesla into a motorhome for his trip to Expo Dubai 2020. During the trip, he will likely break the Guinness World Land Speed Record for an electric vehicle motorhome. The Shove It Pizza food truck also will serve refreshments.

It is estimated that $3 billion could be saved annually in Michigan on health-related issues if 100 percent of new vehicles sold by 2050 and 65 percent of all cars on the road were electric, according to a recent study by researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Energy Initiative.

The American Lung Association and Clean Cities coalitions in seven states throughout the Midwest have partnered together to host ride and drives to demonstrate the performance and environmental advantages of EVs. Midwest EVOLVE stands for Electric Vehicle Opportunities: Learning, eVents, Experience.

At Midwest EVOLVE events, consumers receive a chance to learn about the environmental benefits of EVs and the ease of charging vehicles at home, work, or public charging stations.

Greater Lansing Area Clean Cities is a partner in the seven-state Midwest EVOLVE project. Midwest EVOLVE has more than 60 partners, including the American Lung Association, Argonne National Laboratory, PlugInConnect, automakers, utilities, state agencies, municipalities, dealerships, and dealer associations.

Greater Lansing Area Clean Cities (GLACC) is a coalition of stakeholders working to address the national challenge of petroleum dependence through local activities that grow the market for alternative fuels and advanced vehicles. The coalition’s projects achieve cleaner air and energy security in mid-Michigan through alternative fuel and vehicle usage, and fuel economy practices. Members and stakeholders include fleets, corporations, nonprofit organizations, utilities, local governments, and individuals – anyone interested in ways cleaner fuels, vehicles, and practices can improve our air quality and energy security. To get involved, visit michigancleancities.org.

The Tri-County Regional Planning Commission, which administers GLACC, is a public planning agency established in 1956, serving mid-Michigan. Tri-County makes the region a more prosperous community by planning for a strong economy, reliable transportation, and sustainable infrastructure and natural resources. They connect local organizations and governments to funding, technical assistance, data resources, and opportunities to discuss trends and challenges affecting the Greater Lansing area.

The Michigan Agency for Energy’s (MAE) mission is to advance an adaptable, affordable, reliable, and environmentally-protective energy future for Michigan. The MAE’s work focuses on several areas: Customer Assistance, Energy Security, Energy Reliability, Energy Policy and Expertise and Innovation and Best Practices. To learn more, visit https://www.michigan.gov/energy.

MidMEAC’s mission is to improve environmental stewardship in mid-Michigan, helping to preserve natural resources through education, advocacy, and volunteerism.For more information, visit https://www.midmeac.org.

Midwest EVOLVE is based on work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), under Award Number DE-EE0007743. To learn more, visit MidwestEVOLVE.org or follow EVOLVE on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.