Tomorrow! Check out Electric Vehicles & Learn How Driving One Can Help Reduce Wellesley's Carbon Footprint

Concerned about climate change?

Learn how driving an electric vehicle can make a difference. A free event on October 24, 2019, at 9 a.m. at the Wellesley Free Library, “Electric Vehicles: Driving Wellesley to a Greener Future” will demonstrate how the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) can dramatically reduce Wellesley’s carbon footprint.

A 2018 Greenhouse Gas Inventory provided by the Sustainable Energy Committee (SEC) shows that 46% of Wellesley’s carbon emissions are due to the use of gas and diesel vehicles that rely on internal combustion engines. In other words, transportation in and around Wellesley is the single largest cause of greenhouse gases in our town. With zero tailpipe emissions, the adoption of EVs in Wellesley by residents and our town government makes sense, and is one way we act locally to preserve our planet.

The October 24 event is co-hosted by the Wellesley Green Collaborative and will provide an overview of EVs currently available for consumer and commercial use. Several EV makes and models will be on display in the library parking lot for firsthand viewing.
Featured speakers will address topics including: the costs and benefits of EVs and available rebates and incentives; strategies for increasing the use of electric vehicles by town government; and case studies of nearby communities that have piloted the use of electric school buses.

Scheduled speakers include:

 Anna Vanderspek, Electric Vehicle Program Director, Green Energy Consumers Alliance. The Green Energy Consumers Alliance “Drive Green” program includes an electric vehicle discount program and provides educational outreach to consumers interested in vehicle electrification.
 Benjamin Hartford, National Accounts Sales Representative, XL Fleet. XL Fleet provides electrification solutions for commercial and municipal vehicles that may improve fuel efficiency by up to 50%.
 Kevin King, School Bus and Transit Sales Manager, Lion Electric. Lion Electric school buses were included in a pilot in Concord, Amherst, and Cambridge, MA.
 Kevin Kennedy, Project Manager, Town of Wellesley. A progress update on the town hall annex project, Wellesley’s first net-zero energy facility, will be provided.
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Wonder what is the Green Collaborative?

​The Wellesley Green Collaborative, whose mission is to share information and collaborate around common interests regarding the environment, is facilitated by the town of Wellesley’s Sustainable Energy Committee and meets several times a year. Participants include members of Town departments, boards and committees; grassroots environmental and conservation organizations; civic groups; houses of faith; and interested members of the public. New participants are always welcome and no RSVP is required.