Published July 6 2015
Residents and downtown workers are invited to get behind the wheel of the latest electric vehicles from BMW, Chevy, Ford, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Tesla and other automakers at City Hall on Wednesday, July 8. You can test drive an electric bike from Gregg's Bellevue Cycle too.
The event, 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m., sponsored by the city as part of its Environmental Stewardship Initiative, will also feature "tech talks" by vehicle and charge station manufacturers about emerging trends, technology and best practices for incorporating charging infrastructure in new building development. Presenters will include Tesla, Western Washington Clean Cities and Chargepoint.
Bellevue is a hotbed of electric vehicle activity. Local dealerships tout some of the highest electric vehicle sales among dealerships nationwide, and there are more than 75 public-use charging stations offered by different providers.
The city has three electric cars and more than 100 hybrids in its fleet, and manages a network of 22 charging stations that have provided more than 15,000 charging sessions to date.
Electric vehicle owners benefit from savings on fuel costs, low maintenance costs and federal tax credits. Many commuters say fuel savings cover the cost of a monthly lease on cars such as the Nissan Leaf. The community benefits from electric vehicles include reductions in air pollution, noise, water pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
This event is free, and RSVPs are encouraged in order to help schedule test drives. Please register online at www.GreenWa.org. For more information, contact Paul Andersson, pandersson@bellevuewa.gov or 425-452-6129.