GoGreen Portland Announces EV Ride & Drive
START YOUR (ELECTRIC!) ENGINES — GOGREEN PORTLAND ANNOUNCES EV RIDE & DRIVE
Chevy Volt and Honda Fit EV To Showcase Electric Vehicles Onsite and Provide Test Drives For Event Attendees October 11, 2012
Chevy Volt and Honda Fit EV To Showcase Electric Vehicles Onsite and Provide Test Drives For Event Attendees October 11, 2012
October 2, 2012 (Portland, Ore.) — Building on momentum from early adoption and a growing infrastructure of charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs) in the Portland market, The GoGreen Conference is proud to announce its first ever EV Ride & Drive. The EV Ride & Drive is an interactive experience available to registered event participants, featuring test drives in Chevy Volts and Honda Fit EVs at GoGreen Portland, Thursday, October 11, 2012 at Leftbank Annex.
"EVs are fast becoming a viable solution for fulfilling a triple bottom line mission by providing low-emissions fleet alternatives at increasingly competitive costs," said Ericka Dickey-Nelson, president of the GoGreen Conference Series and Portland-based event planning firm, Social Enterprises, Inc. "Knowing that gas prices and costs associated with carbon pollution are only on the rise, GoGreen is incredibly excited to offer our attendees this opportunity to learn more about EVs for their personal and professional use from leading edge manufacturers."
Portland's eagerness to be an early adopter of EVs has yielded lucrative spots in national grant programs — such as the U.S. Department of Energy's EV Project. It has also resulted in an advanced regional charging station network and high rates of investment in the market by manufacturers looking to test models, work out the kinks and ultimately build a foundation for a broader scale, national rollout of electric vehicles in the future.
"Like Honda, Portland is a forerunner in the early adoption of EV technology," said Robert Langford, manager of Plug-In Vehicle Sales for American Honda. "The GoGreen Conference is a great opportunity to showcase the zero emissions, all-electric Honda Fit EV and for attendees to discover how easily an electric vehicle can fit into their lifestyle."
Based on the popular five-door, five-passenger Fit and Fit Sport, the 100-percent electric Honda Fit EV features highly useful and user-friendly technologies like a 20-kilowatt-hour (kWh) lithium-ion (Li-Ion) battery and a compact 92-kilowatt (kW) AC synchronous electric motor similar to the unit that powers the Honda FCX Clarity. The 2013 Honda Fit EV boasts a world-leading energy efficiency of 29kWh per 100 miles, and 118 MPGe1 (EPA combined city/highway, adjusted). The result is an 82-mile EPA adjusted range in combined city/highway driving. The Fit EV is fully equipped with standard features such as automatic climate control, heated seats, power windows and door locks and Honda Satellite Linked Navigation System. With a 240-volt AC Level 2 supply connected to the Fit EV's standard onboard 6.6 kW charger, the charging time is less than three hours2. Customers interested in leasing or learning more about the Fit EV are encouraged to sign up at www.FitEV.Honda.com.
The GoGreen Portland EV Ride & Drive also showcases the Chevy Volt. The Volt has a total driving range of up to 379 miles, based on EPA estimates. For the first 35 miles, the Volt can drive gas-and tailpipe-emissions-free using a full charge of electricity stored in its 16-kWh lithium-ion battery. When the Volt's battery runs low, a gas powered engine/generator seamlessly operates to extend the driving range another 344 miles on a full tank. Volt owners have travelled more than 10 million miles since the vehicle launched late last year. Roughly two-thirds of those miles were powered by grid electricity.
GoGreen Portland attendees can sign up to either ride along or test drive the Honda Fit EV and Chevy Volt onsite at Leftbank Annex. No advance reservations are required beyond general event registration. All drivers must have a valid driver's license on hand, and both drivers and riders must sign a waiver prior to participation in the EV Ride & Drive.
The Details
GoGreen Portland takes place Thursday, October 11, 2012 at Leftbank Annex (101 N. Weidler Street). More information and tickets are available at portland.gogreenconference.net. Early Bird rates are effective through Tuesday, September 11, 2012. Early Bird Full Admission Tickets are $150 and Group Rate Full Admission Tickets are $125 (groups of two or more).
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About GoGreen Conference The GoGreen Conference is a sustainability learning experience for business decision makers. Featuring regionally targeted content and recognized leaders from the community, GoGreen works across industry silos to foster peer-to-peer learning and collaborative solutions. Our mission is to empower attendees with the sustainability strategies, tools and connections to green their organizations with profitability in mind. Learn more at portland.gogreenconference.net.
1132/105/118 city/highway/combined miles per gallon of gasoline-equivalent (MPGe) rating; 82 mile combined (city/highway) driving range rating (adjusted). Ratings determined by US EPA. Your MPGe and range will vary depending on driving conditions, how you drive and maintain your vehicle, battery age/condition, and other factors. For additional information about EPA ratings, visit http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/label/learn-more-electric-label.shtml.
2From low charge indicator illumination point to full charge.