September 21 is Zero Emissions Day. It’s additionally the kickoff to Nationwide Drive Electrical Week which runs from September 22 – October 1, 2023. Let’s have a look at these two annual occasions and what they imply for present and future electrical automobile (EV) drivers.
Zero Emission Day
September twenty first is Zero Emission Day. Because the story goes, its origins return all the best way to the Nineteen Eighties when graphic designer Ken Wallace was strolling outdoors of his Nova Scotia house along with his daughter and seen idling automobiles. Wallace got here up with the concept to present the earth sooner or later free from fossil gas emissions. Quick ahead to 2008 and Wallace began benefiting from the web’s potential to achieve huge quantities of individuals concurrently. Finally, Zero Emission Day was a full-blown motion and acquired its personal date: September twenty first.
How one can be part of Zero Emission Day
Collaborating in Zero Emissions Day is tremendous simple. There are 4 pointers to comply with:
Chorus from utilizing or burning oil, gasoline or coal.
Decrease your use of electrical energy generated by fossil fuels as a lot as doable.
Chorus from placing anybody in hurt’s means. (This implies all important and emergency providers function usually.)
Do your greatest, have enjoyable, and benefit from the day with out producing any emissions (or as few as doable).
How electrical automobiles contribute to the discount of fossil gas emissions
Absolutely electrical automobiles are typically referred to as zero-emission automobiles (ZEVs). That’s as a result of these automobiles don’t produce any tailpipe emissions. You may drive an EV with out worrying about producing any dangerous emissions, which is clearly nice for the planet.
Within the EV world, there’s a idea known as “effectively to wheel emissions,” which considers fossil gas emissions through the charging course of relying on the electrical energy era itself. If an EV is charged with electrical energy that’s generated from renewable sources (equivalent to photo voltaic, wind, geothermal, or hydroelectric), then there are not any fossil gas emissions related to that charging or driving course of. Nevertheless, if an EV is charged utilizing electrical energy that’s generated by burning coal or in another means that generates fossil gas emissions, these emissions could be related to that EV’s effectively to wheel emissions.
In accordance with the US Vitality Data Administration: “In 2022, renewable vitality sources accounted for about 13.1% of whole U.S. major vitality consumption. Renewable vitality sources accounted for about 21.5% of whole utility-scale electrical energy era.”
You should utilize the US Environmental Safety Company Energy Profiler instrument to seek out out the combo of electrical energy sources in your area by coming into your zip code. The US Division of Vitality’s Different Fuels Knowledge Middle additionally has a instrument which compares the annual emissions of an EV versus inside combustion engine (ICE) automobile on a nationwide or state degree.
It is very important keep in mind that even in case you have an EV that doesn’t emit any tailpipe emissions, your charging course of might generate effectively to wheel emissions. Subsequently, if you wish to comply with all the principles of Zero Emissions Day, you may take into account not charging your automobile and utilizing as little electrical energy as doable.
Nationwide Drive Electrical Week (NDEW)
This 12 months, Nationwide Drive Electrical Week-and-a-half is from September 22 – October 1, 2023. NDEW is a nationwide celebration that’s meant to boost consciousness of the advantages of driving electrical automobiles and their plug-in hybrid cousins.
Its origins return to 2011 when Zan Dubin-Scott, the co-founder of EV advocacy group Plug In America, and longtime EV driver Jeff U’Ren got here up with the concept of holding a coordinated sequence of nationwide occasions to espouse the advantages of transitioning to EVs. Plug In America, together with the Electrical Car Affiliation and the Sierra Membership, joined the hassle and the primary Nationwide Plug In Day was held on October sixteenth, 2011. In 2014, the day was expanded to a complete week and Nationwide Drive Electrical Week was born.
Now, there are occasions throughout your complete nation, together with on-line occasions, that individuals can take part in. You may simply get entangled by attending, volunteering, or sponsoring an occasion.
Attendees who’re inquisitive about transitioning to an EV can:
Speak to actual EV homeowners.
Attend an internet or in-person occasion.
Watch an EV parade.
Watch digital check drives.
For drivers questioning about the advantages of switching to an EV, the Nationwide Drive Electrical Week web site lists the next advantages:
EVs offer you immediate torque, permitting you to shortly velocity up and merge onto the freeway.
They’re more cost effective to drive at $1.24 per eGallon (US Common).
They arrive with the most recent expertise, like driver help lane monitoring, emergency braking, and over-the-air updates.
EVs require much less upkeep and due to this fact have decrease upkeep prices.
They’re safer. EVs are ten instances much less prone to catch hearth than standard gasoline vehicles.
They’re higher for the setting, even when accounting for his or her manufacturing carbon emissions and when utilizing electrical energy from coal crops.
Transitioning to an EV
The federal authorities has made it even simpler to transition to an EV by offering tax breaks for his or her buy and the acquisition of EV charging gear, together with:
You too can seek for state and municipal rebates and incentives utilizing Blink’s Industrial Incentives and Residential Incentives instruments.
Nationwide Drive Electrical Week 2023 Occasions
Whereas there are a lot of NDEW occasions taking place throughout the nation, listed below are among the occasions the place you may discuss to a Blink Charging consultant:
Bay Space Chapter – Drive Electrical Alabama – Nationwide Drive Electrical Week EVent, Cell, AL
EV in DC, Washington, DC
FVEAA’s Drive Electrical Week EVent – Spring Hill Mall, West Dundee, IL
Drive Electrical West Palm Seashore, Palm Seashore, FL
EV Competition, Atlanta, GA
Drive Electrical Poolesville Day Occasion, Poolesville, MD
2023 Nationwide Drive Electrical Week: Nashville, Nashville, TN