On Saturday, October 20, close to 100 people from nearby and as far away as Bethlehem, Bristol, Philadelphia and Cinnaminson, N.J., came to the Fred Beans 2nd Annual E-Cars Expo in Doylestown to compare affordable electric cars from four different automakers and to hear experts speak about the advantages of driving a plug-in vehicle.
A tax accountant, home and commercial charging station manufacturer’s representative, Ford EV product specialist and the co-founder of an EV advocacy group took turns speaking to the all-ages group and answering questions. Exhibiting and chatting with guests were a variety of other specialists connected to the electric vehicle industry.
Test drives were offered in Chevy Volt, Ford C-Max Energi, Ford Focus electric, Ford Fusion Energi, Nissan Leaf and Toyota Prius plug-in. Also on display was the Tesla Roadster.
The e-cars expo is designed to provide an opportunity for automotive enthusiasts and consumers to compare the features of different affordable electric-powered vehicles and to share information about the present and future of the “green car” industry.
“We had a nice cross-section of people who came specifically for the opportunity to test drive and compare the features and prices of EVs from four different manufacturers,” said John Kachmar, Leaf product specialist from Fred Beans Nissan on West Swamp Road.
Donna Mullin, CPA, JD, of Boyer & Ritter Certified Public Accountants, Camp Hill, Pa., talked about the tax advantages of owning an electric vehicle. John Possumato, regional product expert for Ford’s line-up of EVs, explained that EVs’ powerful acceleration offers greater torque than most gas-powered vehicles – without the pollution. Dana Snell, regional sales rep for AeroVironment, based in California, presented and answered questions about charging stations.
One of the expo’s presenters was inventor, investor and electric vehicle and renewable energy advocate Michael Craner, BSEE, who brought his Tesla Roadster. Craner and his wife, Maddy, co-founded Renew America Roadtrip™.
Exhibits were manned by subject-matter experts in charging station technology, vehicle technology, renewable electric power and other industries connected to electric vehicles.
Along with hot dogs from the grill, the Expo offered up a “green” alternative in the form of fare from local farms. The refreshments included artisanal cheeses from Ely’s farm in Newtown; apples from Manoffs’ Market Garden and Solebury Orchards, both in Solebury; cider from Snipes Farm & Education Center in Morrisville; and cider donuts from Tabora Farms in Chalfont.
