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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOctober 5 Electric Vehicle ShowcaseContact: Brittany Bader, Digital Communications Coordinator Phone 952-826-0396 • BBader@EdinaMN.gov • EdinaMN.gov  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  Edina Residents Invited to Oct. 5 Electric Vehicle Showcase at City Hall  Edina, Minn., Sept. 18, 2024 – The City of Edina's Energy & Environment Commission (EEC) will host its first Electric Vehicle Showcase 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5, in the Edina City Hall parking lot, 4801 W. 50th St. In addition to having a variety of electric vehicles on display, the free event will include live music, a food truck and participation from local dealerships and energy experts.   Edina residents and the community are invited to learn more about electric vehicle (EV) ownership from other Edina residents who own one. The showcase will exclusively feature BEVs -- or battery electric vehicles -- that are fully electric and have no gasoline engine. Featured vehicles include Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Chevy, Ford, Kia, and Rivian models, plus a Tesla Cybertruck. Drive Electric Minnesota and Xcel Energy will be at the event to answer questions about vehicle rebates, incentives and charging. Golden Valley Tesla and Edina's Key Cadillac will also be there, along with the University of Minnesota, which will bring a solar-powered EV it has been racing for more than 25 years.  “The Electric Vehicle Showcase is a way for residents to meet directly with local EV owners to learn about the benefits of owning an EV. Improved performance, increased safety and reduced maintenance costs are all benefits of owning an EV,” said Tom Tessman, who is co-leading the event alongside fellow Commissioner Hilda Martinez. “Electric vehicles and the corresponding reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, specifically CO2, is critically important for the environment and meeting Edina's Climate Action Plan goals,” said Martinez. Edina's Climate Action Plan aims to have 25% of vehicles in Edina be fully electric by 2030. According to the plan, for every 1% of vehicles converted to electric vehicles, 2,750 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions can be eliminated annually, including emissions associated with increased electricity consumption. EValuateMN, an EV tracking dashboard from Atlas Public Policy, shows approximately 935 BEVs in Edina as of December 2023, up from 357 BEVs recorded as a baseline in April 2020. “Edina is on the leading edge when it comes to EV adoption. More than 575 new BEVs are registered in Edina since starting our Climate Action Plan. This event will build on that success to reach new residents who are thinking about purchasing an EV,” said Sustainability Manager Marisa Bayer. For more information about the event, contact Bayer at mbayer@EdinaMN.gov or 952-826-1621. Learn about Edina's Climate Action plan at EdinaMN.gov/ClimateActionPlan. -30-