Margaret-Ann Leavitt Margaret-Ann Leavitt

Off-roading in an EV?

The truth is, there are many EV models that come with AWD and towing capacity with more coming out soon. As technology improves, electric vehicles will have fewer limitations and will be more comparable to internal combustion cars. Several manufacturers have been increasing the capabilities of their EVs to accomplish incredible things, including Rivian and Ford.

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Margaret-Ann Leavitt Margaret-Ann Leavitt

It’s Raining … Electric Cars?

Emmy-winning songwriter and YouTube sensation Parry Gripp and the nation's leading privately-held distributor and installer of EV charging equipment National Car Charging have teamed up on a new song all about electric cars, and are charging up the internet with Charge It Up Up Up Up Up!

The song came to be after Jim Burness, the CEO of National Car Charging, bid on the opportunity to work with Parry as part of the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association’s Beastly Ball Silent Auction. “My daughter and I are long-term fans of Parry’s. I mean, how could you not be? His songs are irresistibly catchy and fun, and all of the kids I know love them,” Burness shared.

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Margaret-Ann Leavitt Margaret-Ann Leavitt

Can You Get Cancer from an EV Battery?

Myth: Exposure to the electromagnetic fields of the battery in an electric vehicle could cause cancer. =

Myth BUSTED: The magnetic fields in electric vehicles pose no danger because their electromagnetic field levels are below the recommended standards.

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Margaret-Ann Leavitt Margaret-Ann Leavitt

The European Union takes the Helm in Ending the Ice Age.

The European Union (EU) recently announced they are taking a bold, unprecedented move and will join California in ending the production and sale of new internal-combustion engine (ICE) vehicles by 2035 – putting one of the last nails in the coffin of 19th-century transportation technology. Although the US, Japan, and China are not nearly as aggressive, they do have tentative targets within the decade beyond the EU’s goal. Adding credibility, Darren Woods, Exxon Mobil’s CEO, stated he believes 2040 is now the date when all new vehicles will be 100% electric.

These developments, coupled with technology improvements and EV adoption penetration running strongly ahead of even very recent expectations, means there is little doubt the ICE age will be soon over in roughly 13 years - that sounds a lot sooner than saying “2035” but they are one in the same. But will it last even that long? Probably not.

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Margaret-Ann Leavitt Margaret-Ann Leavitt

Can you drive an EV in the rain?

Myth 1: You can’t drive an EV in the rain / You can’t get your EV wet

Myth 2: You can’t drive an EV through a puddle

Myth 3: You can’t charge your EV in the rain

Myth BUSTED: EVs are safe to drive through water and hold no threat of electric shock when wet due to battery insulation. Charging in the rain is safe and holds no threat of short-circuiting, sparks, or other dangers.

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Margaret-Ann Leavitt Margaret-Ann Leavitt

Renters Want To Go Electric, But Where Will They Charge?

In 2018, University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute found the cost to fuel an electric car was 60% less than a gas-powered car (on average $485 for an EV vs. $1,117 for a gas vehicle), and a 2020 Consumer Reports study concurred – making driving an EV a very realistic and viable option for those either on a budget or wanting to do better by the planet, or both. While the Biden administration rolled out a plan earlier this year earmarking $5 billion to fund electric vehicle chargers over the next five years, the reality is that 80% of all EV charging happens at home – so what about those renters or even condo owners who don’t have a driveway?

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Margaret-Ann Leavitt Margaret-Ann Leavitt

MYTH: EVs are just as bad for the environment as fossil fuel cars.

One of the most common—and contentious—questions that electric vehicle (EV) experts are frequently asked is, “are electric vehicles really better for the environment? Especially in the case of batteries and the manufacturing process? And, what about when EVs are driving off fossil fuel-based electricity?

This is a prickly question for a reason! Are EVs 100% green with no associated emissions? Of course not! Nothing that is manufactured on an industrial scale today can reach zero emissions or “carbon neutrality.” However, it is still true that electric vehicles are better for the environment—and your health—when compared to gasoline and diesel vehicles.

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Margaret-Ann Leavitt Margaret-Ann Leavitt

NCC Partners with EVPassport to Bring Groundbreaking EV Charging to Auto Dealers.

National Car Charging, the nation’s leading independent EV charging infrastructure provider announced at the National Auto Dealers Association conference this week they are expanding their product mix to add EVPassport’s innovative new EVP30 Series – a mobile 30kW DC fast charger with 45 feet of total cable length. allowing dealers to bring charging to the car instead of having to bring the car to a designated charging spot.

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Margaret-Ann Leavitt Margaret-Ann Leavitt

Do EV Charging Stations Make for More Loyal Customers?

If you like us, we’ll like you. It makes sense, right? EVs need to be charged and drivers will frequent businesses that make charging easy for them. If fact, several years ago, Kohl’s found electric vehicle drivers spent about 20 more minutes in store than non-EV drivers and another major retailer found EV drivers spent more than three times longer in store. With statistics like these, the ROI is much higher and much easier to calculate than many other amenities.

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Margaret-Ann Leavitt Margaret-Ann Leavitt

C-STORES: Getting EV Ready?

Fueling is changing. Will c-stores adapt? The short answer is absolutely yes, but how and when they join the EV evolution may influence their market share, customer loyalty and the control they have over their businesses' competitiveness.

The good news for convenience store owners is that adding EV charging is not nearly as involved as incorporating fossil fueling. While there is an initial investment in the stations and installation, it is considerably less in both time and money, and with oodles of grants and incentives, there is a lot of dollars available to help cover these initial costs.

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Margaret-Ann Leavitt Margaret-Ann Leavitt

15% of Renters Anticipate Buying an Electric Car in the Next Five Years.

With roughly 6.5M U.S. renters now considering an electric car, multifamily dwellings are quickly adding EV charging to their list of amenities.

When Tesla released their first handful of electric cars, Wall Street and drivers alike were skeptical. With sticker prices hovering between $80-$120K, it was assumed that Tesla, much like Ferrari and Lamborghini, would never make it to the mainstream. Flash forward to 2017, when Tesla sold more than over 137,000 of their affordably priced Model 3 and so far in 2021, they’ve sold over 121,229 of their Model Y, their small SUV and are expected to hit the 150K mark or greater before year end.

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Margaret-Ann Leavitt Margaret-Ann Leavitt

Electric Cars are Changing Hotel Loyalty.

Full-service hotels are known to offer extra amenities – often going above and beyond to meet their guest’s needs – and more future-focused properties are starting to offer EV charging. However, hotels not yet offering charging are now being overlooked as EV guests are putting aside their loyalty points in favor of fuel.

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Margaret-Ann Leavitt Margaret-Ann Leavitt

One Colorado Business Owner Partners with a Houston University to Help Harris County Seniors Endure Long Lines at the Polls.

With only a day until the 2020 U.S. presidential election, voters in Harris County, Texas are clamoring to the polls, many waiting hours in line to cast their vote. After watching what was happening on the news, Colorado business owner Jim Burness wanted to help.

“We weren’t sure how we could make a difference, but we knew we had to try,” Burness shared and after a few hours of brainstorming, he had an idea. “We knew lots of companies would be sending water and offering food, but I wanted to find another way to keep people in line. I was most concerned about seniors and those with health issues, so we packed up a bunch of camp chairs and shipped them to Texas.”

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