News & Press
After the cooperative’s purchase of a Nissan Leaf in January, Tri-County EMC employees have gotten behind the wheel to learn and understand the electric vehicle (EV) industry. Now we want you to give it a try.
“The only way to really understand the hype about electric vehicles is to drive one yourself,” said Greg Mullis, vp of corporate services at Tri-County. “EVs have the perception of being glorified golf carts, but they are anything but that.”
Tri-County EMC and the Milledgeville-Baldwin Chamber of Commerce are hosting EV19 at Central Georgia Technical College’s Milledgeville Campus on April 26. “This is your opportunity to test drive an EV, learn the basics of the industry, the benefits of EV and your business, the future of the mechanic profession and learn safety tips for first responders,” said Mullis. (88595001)
One of the hurdles of the EV industry for buyers is fear of the unknown. “The challenge with EVs is that they come with a learning curve,” said Jonathan Stewart, energy services representative at Tri-County. “Instead of miles per gallon, you have to think about miles per kWh. It’s a new way of thinking, but you quickly adapt.”
“Always knowing your range is important when driving an EV,” said Stewart. “Before getting in the Leaf, I’ll check the charge level of the car compared to my trip distance and see if there are any charging stations at my destination.” In the past year, the number of charging stations has increased greatly. (27914001)
While there is additional planning involved driving an EV rather than a gasoline powered car, there is less maintenance. No need to change the oil, fan belts, air filters, timing belts or spark plugs. Just tire rotations, replacing the wiper blades and other minimal maintenance. And the savings from maintenance and gas can quickly add up. “It takes about $4.80 to ‘fill the tank’ of Tri-County’s Leaf,” said Stewart. “And it has a range of about 150 miles, so you definitely are ‘paying less at the pump’ so to speak.”
If you are interested in learning more about electric vehicles, please join us at EV19. We’ll have industry experts on hand to answer any questions you have. To register or to find out more, visit www.tri-countyemc.com/ev19.cms. You can also register by calling 478.986.8118. This is a free event, and lunch is included with registration.