Leaving the bubble behind

The Richmond, Virginia EAA chapter aims to expand their reach beyond traditional EV drivers

Drive Electric RVA participated in the recent Drive Electric Earth Day

For Charles Gerena, it’s all about relationships. As the founder and lead organizer of Drive Electric RVA, he has motivated a relationship-forming agenda that focuses on nearly constant outreach.

“One of our cornerstone events is our monthly EV Round-Up where we show our cars at farmers markets and answer questions,” Gerena said. “These venues are effective because they get a lot of visitors returning every week who are used to talking with the vendors, sometimes for long periods of time, and who fit our demographic because they’re generally interested in sustainability.”

“We try to hit markets in a range of areas around Richmond, some more rural, some more urban,” Gerena continued. “With our outreach events, we try our best to avoid getting stuck in our bubble.”

True diversity can be challenging

At the same time, individual farmers markets are not necessarily ethnically diverse. For this reason, the Richmond chapter looks elsewhere to further its “outside the bubble” mission.

“We still have a lot of work to do,” Gerena said. “We’ve had discussions about engaging with more communities of color, with more women, and also with younger people.”

One initiative is Shift 2 Green, a 3-way partnership between the Richmond chapter, African-American-owned One Third Marketing and Design, and EV advocacy group EV-Resource. The three organizations host public events that both appeal to car enthusiasts and demonstrate the positive impact that EV owners can have on the community. 

Drive Electric EVA members at a Richmond area farmers market

“We all came together at a local body shop to host an EV parade on St. Patrick’s Day,” Gerena said. Donations were collected for Patriots 4 Families, supporting victims of a neurological disorder, and non-perishable food was dropped off at FeedMore, a local food bank

“It was one of the most diverse groups I’ve ever seen at one of our events,” Gerena said. “Usually, we attract Tesla owners. This time, there were a lot of Bolts and Sparks. We all chatted awhile and then we hit the road for the parade, although I’m using that last word loosely.”

Approximately 15 EVs and their drivers caravanned down Broad Street, a main Richmond thoroughfare, before heading through a residential area that skews lower-income.  

“We try to demonstrate against a stereotype that you have to be rich to own an EV,” Gerena said.  “Sure, on average, the income of EV drivers is higher, but prices have come down, there’s more charging access in lower-income communities, and there’s a robust market for used EVs now, too.”  

Bigger venues can help

The Richmond EAA chapter has also reached out of its bubble by promoting EVs at larger venues, including street festivals and fairs.

“The downside is that you have to pay to be in these events,” Gerena said. “The farmers markets don’t charge us because they feel we attract more customers. The bigger venues don’t need us for that.”

One exception to this rule is the Virginia International Auto Show, held in Richmond every year. “That kind of space would cost several thousand dollars,” Gerena explained. “But they give it to us for nothing because they value our ability to answer questions for potential buyers looking at the EVs on display.”

Drive Electric RVA member gives EV test rides to Virginia state legislators

Big victory at the state capitol

Drive Electric RVA is a member of the Virginia Conservation Network (VCN), a coalition of environmental organizations involved in a variety of issues, including the support of  EV-friendly legislation at the state capitol in Richmond. The chapter has also  joined forces with the Sierra Club, as well as with sister EAA chapter Electric Vehicle Association of Greater Washington DC. 

In March, VCN  and its partner organizations promoted passage of legislation that made Virginia into the fifteenth state in the country with  a Zero Emissions Vehicle (ZEV) policy. This was a huge success for environmental advocacy groups. “A bunch of us from our chapter attended hearings…on Zoom that is,” said Gerena. “We did our part.”

Other victories on the horizon…

Drive Electric RVA has also focused on promoting EVs directly to lawmakers by offering test rides every January for the last few years, other than 2021 due to the pandemic. 

“We set up a display where they can all see us— the legislators, the aides, the staff—as they cross from their offices to the capitol building,” Gerena said, explaining that most of the participants in the annual event have been Democrats.

“If we’re going to make a change, we need to get the Republicans into the game, too. We need to appeal to them on  job creation and on national resilience due to energy independence. Electricity is domestically produced and  supports the local utilities, not foreign countries.”

When it comes to EV advocacy, “You can really get to any group if you find the right strategy,” Gerena concluded. “We all have to reach out of our bubbles to get everyone on board.”