National Drive EV Event in Huntsville AL

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bwilson4web

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 30, 2016
Messages
805
Location
Huntsville, AL
INTRODUCTION

Once a year, there is a USA 'National Drive EV Week' to introduce our rides to the public. About six weeks before the Huntsville Alabama event, I was asked to liaison with the local car dealers.

PREPARATION

Wearing dress clothes and no tie, I visited Century BMW, Bill Penny Toyota, Bill Penny Mitsubishi, Landers Chevrolet, Landers Nissan, and the Volkswagen dealer with a letter that:
  • Described the event: time, place, and goals
  • Asked for help with suggestions like brochures and bringing a used cars with their asking price and options
  • Suggesting their sales personnel could gain insights (i.e., we're not rabid environmentalists, just cheap!)
The letter included a Google map showing the parking lot at Whole Foods:
EV_drive_020.jpg

We use the west side, two rows and had a professionally installed tent in the northwest corner.

It is not enough to visit the dealers just once but go back weekly and follow-up with e-mai and phone calls. This emphasizes you're not a homeless guy trying to trick them out of some swag. They also pointed out the color glossies are not done since 'everyone uses the Internet' so we'd have to make our own.

I ordered a tent from Rocket City Party Rentals and table. Per their insurance requirement, the tent is anchored in parking lot by drilling holes to anchor. It is important to coordinate with the facility manager so they understood the holes drilled would be repaired by the rental company after the event and their inspection. We emphasized this is a safety issue which became evident the day of the event. Coordination and phone calls, follow-up early and let principals talk to each other.

The night before, I made two posters for plug-in hybrids and electric-only vehicles. Both posters has two sheets showing the PlugShare local to Huntsville and a larger scale going out over 150 miles:
EV_drive_100.jpg

EV_drive_110.jpg

Standing in a sunny parking lot that washed out the iPhone tiny screen while mumbling something about "PlugShare" doesn't work. The poster pages makes it real so they can understand how the local chargers integrate with shopping and chores.

The plug-in hybrid pages cover the BMW i3-REx, Chevy Volt, and Prius Prime:
EV_drive_120.jpg

In red, I added the cost to drive 100 miles using local rates: $0.10/kWh, $2.50/gal regular, $2.75/gal premium. Unlike MPG and MPGe, seeing the costs for 100 miles makes it real.

I also had a graph comparing these three cars:
EV_drive_130.jpg

So I could clearly show the relative performance of the cars in EV or gas. However I had to explain "Fastest" meant 'without recharging or refueling.'

The electric vehicle (EV) pages cover the Bolt, Golf-E, Leaf, and top-line Tesla:
EV_drive_140.jpg

Again, the cost to drive 100 miles makes it real.

Working under the assumption that an EV owner will have either a gas/diesel car or a car rental on 'speed dial':
EV_drive_150.jpg

Two gas hybrids are the top rated Hyundai Ioniq Blue and Prius Two ECO. Next to them are two legal diesels again with the cost to drive 100 miles, $2.50/gal regular and $2.75/gal diesel.

DRIVE EV DAY

Starting at 9AM, I was a few minutes late only to arrive just before the party tent rental team. Two guys, they knew exactly what needed to be done. For good measure, Scott Hammond, the other coordinator and I went into Whole Foods and spoke with the manager to let him know we were starting. He'd heard about it so we provided details. This is what the tent and table soon looked like:
EV_drive_200.jpg

EV_drive_210.jpg

One end holds the EV poster so three people can look it together. The other end holds the plug-in hybrid poster. Be sure and bring 'blue' masking tape that can be pulled off without leaving a mark. Emphasize to any helpers that 'we are not in the business of saving tape but making sure everything won't blow away. We can get more tape but the posters are unique.'

Soon, the Chevy salesman arrived with a 2014 Volt and his standalone tent and table, and flyers. Two BMW salesmen arrived with a used BMW i3-BEV. We wanted the asking price and list of options because the affordable, used cars are can help people planning a next car decide to take the plunge. As we explained, the event insurance that Scott arranged (in coordination with the facility management company) did not include test drives on the property. However, owners could take people for test drives off the property and that worked out well.

So this is what it looked like:
EV_drive_220.jpg

EV_drive_230.jpg

EV_drive_240.jpg

EV_drive_250.jpg

EV_drive_270.jpg

EV_drive_260.jpg

Sorry about the Alfred Hitchcock moment. A reasonable crowd, we need to work on advertising the event in the future with social media, posters, and local news.

In summer, you get scattered rain showers with local gusts of wind. A tent looks a lot like a sail and you can cross oceans with them:
EV_drive_280.jpg

EV_drive_290.jpg

We had one gust that tugged on the anchors. Sad to say, the standalone tent tried to go 'walk about' until caught. I used one of the reused, 'doggie poop' plastic bags to hold trash draped over a stake.

LESSONS LEARNED

You can't coordinate enough and nothing works as well as face time with follow-up email and phone calls. You're not being a pest as much as making sure they know this is a real event.

The organizers need to have two people on 'tent duty' so if one needs to demo drive a car, the other can continue handling queries at the table. It is also a place to have 'swag'. However, it makes sense to have chairs for visitors to get a little bent-knee time.

Given the heat, encourage visiting the facilities and 'wash your face and arms.' This will bring body temperatures down safely and dilute the sweat. Hydrate during the day. An ice chest with small water bottles for guests and possibly a roll of paper towels works too.

Trying to do technical stuff like coding BMWs while running a show takes hosts and coordinators out of the loop. The time to do 'technical stuff' is not when guests are wandering about.

Remind all owners and coordinators that September is model change over. This means dealers are often interested in clearing out the old models to make room for the new ones which makes it a buyer's market. Deals can be had so make sure everyone has the latest.

Bob Wilson
 
Thanks for the report, Bob. I wish our area had something like that.
By the way, I don't get the Alfred Hitchcock reference. Does that mean you were in the picture somewhere ?
 
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