Sept. 27, 2022 (ARLINGTON, Texas) – Are you thinking about making the switch to an electric vehicle? Do you have question about how this fast-growing form of transportation may fit your lifestyle? What about the range of EVs?
Get these and other questions answered by people who drive electric vehicles every day, as well as dealers, during North Texas’ annual National Drive Electric Week (NDEW) event from 3-6 p.m. Sunday, Oct 2 at Dallas City Hall. The Dallas-Fort Worth Clean Cities Coalition has partnered with the City of Dallas to bring this celebration of electric vehicles and related technologies to downtown Dallas. This year’s event will also feature zero-emissions, heavy-duty equipment such as an all-electric 18-wheeler. Food trucks will also be available for attendees.
Experience various makes and models of electric vehicles up close, and maybe even get behind the wheel of one of these exciting machines. NDEW will offer “Ride and Drive” opportunities for those who want to take of these vehicles for a spin on the streets of Dallas from iDrive1 Motorcars, Polestar Grapevine and Holt Truck Centers.
“We are excited to partner with the City of Dallas to bring this annual event to the heart of the city,” said Lori Clark, NCTCOG program manager and DFW Clean Cities coordinator. “Being in the middle of downtown this year will allow people trying to decide whether to buy an electric car to experience them in real-world conditions. We think once they climb inside an EV, they will understand why the owners of these vehicles are so passionate.”
Currently, there are more than 52,000 EVs registered in North Texas, according to the Dallas-Fort Worth Clean Cities Coalition website. Electric vehicles are fun to drive and environmentally friendly, but you may also have questions about where in the region they can be recharged and how far they can be driven on a single charge. Representatives from charging companies will be available to answer these questions and can also discuss the different charging options available to consumers across the region.
The North Central Texas Council of Governments, which houses the DFW Clean Cities Coalition, recently completed a plan for zero-emissions vehicle infrastructure along the Interstate Highway 45 corridor between Dallas and Houston. The plan calls for an EV charger at least every 50 miles. Within the Dallas-Fort Worth area and along much of the corridor, there are adequate — and expanding –charging options. This plan recommends installation of two new charging stations to address a gap of more than 100 miles between Ennis and Madisonville.
Also part of the NDEW celebration, Dallas Area Rapid Transit will display an electric bus and provide information on job opportunities for operators of electric buses. The North Texas event is part of the annual NDEW celebration Sept. 23-Oct. 2. to highlight the benefits of all-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, including cars, trucks, motorcycles and more. For more information and to register for this year’s event, visit www.dfwcleancities.org/ndew.
About the North Central Texas Council of Governments:
NCTCOG is a voluntary association of local governments established in 1966 to assist local governments in planning for common needs, cooperating for mutual benefit, and coordinating for sound regional development. NCTCOG’s purpose is to strengthen both the individual and collective power of local governments and to help them recognize regional opportunities, eliminate unnecessary duplication and make joint decisions.
NCTCOG serves a 16-county region of North Central Texas, which is centered on the two urban centers of Dallas and Fort Worth. Currently, NCTCOG has 238 member governments including 16 counties, 169 cities, 19 school districts, and 27 special districts. For more information on the NCTCOG Transportation Department, visit www.nctcog.org/trans.
About the Dallas-Fort Worth Clean Cities Coalition:
In 1995, the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) Clean Cities became one of the first Clean Cities coalitions under the Energy Policy Act’s provision for an organization that promotes the use of alternative fuels to lessen America’s dependence on foreign sources of petroleum. Dallas-Fort Worth Clean Cities is a locally based, public/private partnership that seeks to advance energy security, protect environmental and public health, and stimulate economic development by promoting practices and decisions to reduce transportation energy impacts and improve air quality, primarily in the transportation sector.