Ulster County Executive Mike Hein Announces A National Drive Electric Week Event To Be Held September 9 At The Ulster County Courthouse

Posted September 4, 2017

Kingston, NY –Ulster County Executive Mike Hein is pleased to announce that Ulster County is co-sponsoring its second National Drive Electric Week event.  It will be held on September 9th from 10am-2pm in the Ulster County Courthouse parking lot, 285 Wall Street in Kingston, NY. The event is free to attend.

National Drive Electric Week, September 9-17, 2017, presented by Plug In America, the Sierra Club and Electric Auto Association, is a nationwide celebration to heighten awareness of today's widespread availability of plug-in vehicles and highlight the benefits of all-electric and plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles.  The local Drive Electric Week Event is co-sponsored by the Sustainable Hudson Valley, Kingston Climate Smart Committee, New Yorkers for Clean Power, Solarize Hudson Valley, Sierra Club and Central Hudson.

Ulster County currently has a network of nine (EV) charging stations which are powered by 100% renewable energy and are used to charge plug-in hybrids in the County fleet. In addition, the County operates seven plug-in hybrid vehicles and one battery electric vehicle in the fleet. The operation cost of these cars per mile is less than half of a traditional fleet vehicle.

“We want to spread the word about the many benefits of driving electric.  This event is a terrific way people can see cars, talk to EV drivers, and learn more about the network of charging stations in Ulster County,” said Ulster County Executive Mike Hein.  “Not only are electric and hybrid vehicles economical to own, but they are environmentally friendly as well.”

The charging station network, which will expand by an additional six stations in the coming months, are also available for the public to use for free, sponsored by the Ulster County Regional Chamber of Commerce.

“Ulster County, under County Executive Mike Hein’s leadership, is on the cutting edge of environmental stewardship with initiatives that include renewable energy, green fleet and electric vehicle charging stations,” said Coordinator of the Ulster County Department of the Environment Amanda LaValle.  “In fact we operate a carbon neutral county government operation, the only one in New York State. Initiatives like our electric vehicle work not only benefit the county government but promote sustainable, clean transportation across our community.” 

Local dealerships will accommodate test drives of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid models on the market. Bring your driver’s license to test out the latest technology. If you already have an electric vehicle or plug-in hybrid, you can show it off at the auto show. Register your all-electric or plug-in hybrid-electric vehicle here: https://driveelectricweek.org/event.php?eventid=1107.

"What a difference the last year has made! Consumer interest was dormant; now it is so active that the dealerships are feeling the energy and preparing for volume sales. That, in turn, makes it attractive for downtown businesses to take the plunge and install a charger. It's synergistic!" stated Melissa Everett of Sustainable Hudson Valley.

Join the Drive Electric Week Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/217968568733661/

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