EXETER — Unitil Corporation teamed up with Clean Energy NH for an electric vehicle Ride and Drive Expo final weekend that attracted dozens of EV lovers and put some curiosity seekers behind the wheel for the primary time.
The free occasion held on June 4 at Unitil’s electric operations facility in Exeter was a singular alternative for shoppers to expertise varied makes and fashions of electric autos, be taught extra concerning the latest improvements in the EV trade, and even try a variety of electric bikes and scooters as nicely.
Unitil hosted the expo with Clean Energy NH, which manages Drive Electric NH – a coalition of public and personal stakeholders that goals to lift consciousness of the advantages of electric autos and the necessity to assist charging infrastructure in New Hampshire.
Dealerships with autos on show – a few of which had been obtainable for take a look at drives – included Seacoast Volkswagen, McFarland Ford, Volvo Cars of Exeter and BMW of Stratham. EZ Electric Bikes & Scooters of Exeter, Revision Energy and Granite State Clean Cities Coalition additionally participated together with a number of homeowners who introduced their private electric autos and a Zero electric bike for guests to see firsthand.
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Unitil’s new hybrid electric bucket truck, which makes use of a chargeable battery to energy the growth, and a hybrid pickup truck had been additionally on show.
“As interest in the EV market continues to grow, we felt this would be the perfect opportunity for new consumers to get their questions answered. Putting them in the driver’s seat and offering a chance to inspect them up close and test drive a vehicle like a Nissan LEAF or a Tesla was a great hands-on experience,” stated Alec O’Meara, media relations supervisor at Unitil.
![Scott Sebastian of Durham checks out the interior of the all-electric Volvo XC40 during a Ride and Drive Expo held at Unitil's electric operations center in Exeter on June 4.](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2022/06/09/NPOH/7306a087-c63e-4540-b7d5-def6279d2dab-expo2.jpg?width=660&height=440&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
Joshua Singer, Clean Energy NH’s program coordinator, stated lots of these in attendance requested quite a lot of questions starting from rebates to buying an electric vehicle and charging it up.
The turnout was higher than Singer has seen at another related expos. “I think the interest is high. Gas prices are also high, but there are more options than there have ever been. Every couple of months there’s a new car that comes out,” he stated.
Oliver Strattner, a gross sales professional with Volvo Cars of Exeter, spent the day educating potential shoppers concerning the dealership’s two electric autos on show – a C40 Recharge crossover and an XC40 Recharge SUV.
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Strattner stated rising fuel costs have prompted many shoppers to start taking a look at hybrids and all-electric autos.
“In the last year or so the interest in the plug-ins and EVs has doubled if not tripled. We just want to open some eyes and ears and try to get people excited about everything we have to offer and everything that’s coming for the future,” he stated. “A lot of people are curious about overall vehicle range, charge times and how driving an electric vehicle changes their daily habits. A lot of times people will do a lot of short trips that the vehicles are more than capable of handling without needing a charge, but people are curious about when they’re driving somewhere that exceeds the vehicle range, how that affects the trip and where they’ll be able to stop.”
![A Ride and Drive Expo showcasing the latest innovations in the electric vehicle industry was held on June 4 at Unitil's electric operations facility in Exeter.](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2022/06/09/NPOH/38270369-b288-4fa7-9bb7-519fa8bf8264-expo3.jpg?width=660&height=440&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
Durham resident Scott Sebastian and his spouse had been among the many new shoppers who stopped by as they’re presently trying to buy an electric vehicle.
“We’re going to replace her vehicle with electric. We anticipate doing a lot of commuting between jobs and a child going to school, so it just makes sense, especially with gas prices near $5,” he stated. “We’re seriously looking, but it’s just a question of inventory.”
The Ride and Drive occasion was a primary for John Carty, a resident of Portsmouth, who serves on the town’s sustainability fee and can be a member of Clean Energy NH. He has a Rivian electric vehicle on order, which he hopes to get this summer season, and spent a while chatting with an proprietor who introduced his personal Rivian R1T pickup truck to the occasion. Carty stated his spouse already drives a plug-in hybrid vehicle and his son-in-law has a Tesla.
“We do have some EVs in the family, so I’ll be next,” stated Carty, including that he additionally hoped to be taught extra about how owners, municipalities and utilities can work collectively to make cleaner power extra obtainable.
Others who attended weren’t essentially in the market for an electric vehicle, however had been merely curious.
“We just always wanted to try one. We’ve heard so much about it,” stated Hampton resident Karen Oliveri-Schneck, who took a Tesla for a spin and was amazed by the quietness and different controls.
While many got here to find out about electric autos, others had their eyes on the electric bikes and scooters displayed by EZ Electric Bikes & Scooters of Exeter.
“Electric scooters are relatively new, but electric bikes have really gained popularity since COVID. They’ve really taken off,” stated Teresa Hemenway, co-owner of EZ Electric Bikes & Scooters.
The enterprise started promoting electric bikes in 2019 and noticed gross sales go “through the roof” as soon as the pandemic hit, Hemenway stated, including, “People are now coming by after they heard about electric bikes, and they’re very interested to find out what they’re about.”