Plugging in to Electric Vehicles with Generation180 & Dave Matthews Band

When you think about electric vehicles, what comes to mind?

We know that there’s a LOT of information—and misinformation—out there about electric vehicles…so we decided to get the scoop from the experts themselves: our friends and partners at clean energy nonprofit Generation180!

For the second year in a row, Generation180 has joined us on Dave Matthews Band‘s Summer Tour to encourage fans to take the National Going Electric Pledge and inspire all Americans to make their next vehicle electric.

We sat down with Generation180’s Senior Program Director Stuart Gardner to learn more about the evolving landscape of electric vehicles (EVs), clear up some common misconceptions about EVs, and celebrate the impact DMB fans have made at shows.

And because we couldn’t resist, we whipped up the perfect soundtrack for (electrified) summer drives:

Hi Stuart! Can you give us some background on Generation180’s work? 

Hello, thank you so much! Generation180 is a national non-profit organization working to inspire and equip individuals to take action on clean energy. We have three key programs: Electrify Our Schools—helping schools adopt solar and transition to electric school buses; Flip the Script—our communications campaign to change the popular narrative from climate doom-and-gloom to clean energy optimism; and Electrify Your Life—helping Americans transition to clean energy in their car, homes, and communities (which encompasses the Electrify Your Ride campaign).

Within the wide scope of your work, what’s the biggest culprit you’re facing in terms of carbon emissions?

Transportation is the number one source of carbon emissions in the United States. Since electric vehicles (EVs) don’t have a tail pipe, switching to an EV is a key solution.

Generation180’s Electrify Your Ride campaign helps accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles. It turns out that while most people have heard of EVs, most are not very familiar with them, so we work to educate folks on the benefits and address common misconceptions. This is important because research shows the more people know about EVs, the more likely they are to consider one.

Our National Going Electric Pledge is a key way we help inspire people to consider an EV for their next car. Whether it’s next week or next year, new or used, you can pledge to make your next car electric.

It’s been great to see this campaign in action at DMB shows. How have fans responded? 

Our partnership with REVERB and Dave Matthews Band’s Summer Tour has been an important way to reach people. Generation180 volunteers help answer fans’ questions and hopefully inspire them to sign the Pledge.

We now have over 100,000 commitments from Americans to drive electric. That’s a lot fewer tail pipes!

What advice would you give to people who are curious about driving an electric vehicle but don’t know where to start?

I think the best thing someone can do is talk with a current EV owner and go for a ride. It could be your neighbor, friend, family member, or work colleague. The experience riding in an electric vehicle for the first time is amazing—it’s quiet and accelerates almost instantly.

A key aspect of the Electrify Your Ride campaign is engaging with our nationwide network of EV owners, who we call EV Ambassadors. They are a great resource to answer questions. Generation180 also frequently hosts “Ask an EV Owner” events where the ambassadors tell their stories.

What misconceptions have you encountered in your mission to spread the word about electric vehicles? 

A common misconception is that EVs are only luxury vehicles for wealthy folks. While there are EVs from BMW and Mercedes, there are also great EVs from more mainstream manufacturers too, such as Ford, Chevy, Kia, Nissan, Volkswagen, and Hyundai. Plus, there are now national incentives to lower the upfront cost of buying an EV, up to $7,500 for new purchases or leases. And let’s not forget the great deals to be had on used EVs, for which there are also incentives of up to $4,000! Depending on where you live, some states offer additional EV rebates.

How has the landscape of electric vehicles changed in recent years? 

There are two major changes in the EV landscape. The first is lots of new great products. Some years ago, there were not many options for someone looking to make the switch to an electric vehicle. Now every major manufacturer has an electric option, not just small cars but SUVs and pickup trucks too. This is important because they are the best-selling automotive segments in the US. Electrified versions of the Ford F150 pick-up truck (the best-selling vehicle for over 40 years) and well-known SUVs like the Chevy Equinox and Blazer give people more options than ever before.

The second is dramatically increased availability of public charging infrastructure. In fact, there is a whole Federal campaign to install 500,000 fast chargers. We’re seeing chargers across the country at places we already go, so we can charge while at work, or shopping, or at the library. Public charging makes owning an EV easier and more accessible, no matter where you live.

We know that driving electric is a great choice for the environment, but are there other lesser-known benefits of making the switch?

There are a lot of different reasons people choose to drive an electric vehicle, and while zero tailpipe emissions is often a leading purchase reason, EVs have a lot of other benefits to offer. For example, saving money on maintenance. Since EVs have fewer moving parts, there are less things to break or replace (no muffler means not having to replace a muffler, for example). In fact, Consumer Reports estimates a savings of up to $12,000 over the life of the vehicle.

People also love the ability to wake up in the morning with a “full tank” having charged overnight. The other key benefit is simply the driving experience—the ride is quiet and smooth with near instant acceleration. EVs are really fun to drive.

For people who’ve already been driving electric—how can they push the movement forward?

If you’re an EV owner, Generation180 would love to hear from you. We have an EV Ambassador program that helps EV owners tell their story and share the benefits of EV ownership with others. One of the biggest impacts you can make in helping to accelerate EV adoption is talking to your peers, your family, neighbors, and colleagues. It turns out one of the leading sources of information for someone considering an EV is another EV owner, so you can play a big role in helping others go electric! Answer questions, tell them how you decided which EV was right for you, and take them for a test drive.

What are the biggest challenges you face, and what’s giving you hope for the future of electric vehicles? 

Our biggest challenge is addressing misconceptions and encouraging people to add electric vehicles to the list of cars they are considering for their next vehicle.

Fortunately, EVs offer a lot of different benefits. The more people learn about EVs, the more they like them. And according to studies, over 80% of people who make the switch to electric never go back to gas. So Generation180 is optimistic about Americans electrifying their rides.