The Transition Salt Spring - EV Group is:
Jim Standen - TESLA Model Y, Team Lead, media, web site, EV registrations, interface with Victoria EV Association, SSI Chamber of Commerce, automotive dealers.
Barbara Dempster - CHEVROLET BOLT, Team Lead Backup, Charger expert, Exchange interface. Vancouver EV Association and CRD interface.
Markus Wenzel - TESLA Model 3, financial considerations.
John Holmes - NISSAN LEAF, ice conversions, public EV charger support.
Ky Fox - NISSAN LEAF, entertainment coordinator.
Dennis Fortin - BMW-i3, EV 101 instructor, on-line / local and tourism charger maps (ie. Gulf Islander Magazine).
Tom Mitchell - NISSAN LEAF, special events (like parades), ArtSpring donation box. Anti-plastic group interface.
David Elderton - NISSAN LEAF, electronics and e-bikes. Islands Pathways interface.
Ron Watts - KIA SOUL EV, Event Photography, Community Energy Group Society Interface.
John Newton - NISSAN LEAF, Emission Statistics.
Peter Lamb - NISSAN LEAF, Events, Emission Statistics.
Anonymous - EV Myths.
Our team mantra’s are: "make every hour of effort count", “Keep the EV conversation going” and “have LOTS of fun with our mission”. All EV Group members drive EV's.
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ACHIEVEMENTS - 2021
Summary: A very good year, with several education sessions provided to the community on EV's, Tesla and E-bikes and the installation of new free public Level 2 charging stations. Repairs were required and addressed at several charging stations and the ArtSpring chargers were transferred to the CRD. We had some positive results on the goal of providing DCFC (or equivalent) charging, instrumental for encouraging the transition to EV by higher-use commercial vehicles. We completed our revised SSI Fleet Emission calculation study providing annual targets and GHG estimates required to achieve the 2030 emission reduction target for passenger vehicles. Initial calculations show that we still have the highest ownership rate (by population) in BC. We hosted some connection socials with locals and the off-island EV clubs. Had a great spread in AQUA magazine. We sponsored some key e-bike and allotment garden projects and increased our financial resources ensuring fiscal stability for the TSS - EV Group. And our mission of "Keeping the Conversation Going" was easily achieved.
1. EDUCATION:
January, 2021. ZOOM: "Ask an EV expert" session (Topic: EV Questions in general)
- Featured Julian Sale of Motorize Electric Vehicles
- 20 attendees
January, 2021. New VIDEO: "EV 101" course
- Featured local instructor Dennis Fortin
- Intended to be self-directed education. The same course has been offered several times SSI
- The course is now available to everyone at: https://www.ssiev.ca/educational-videos.html
Feb 2, 2021. ZOOM: "Ask an EV expert" session (Topic: Tesla Model 2 and Tesla Model 3)
- Featured Julian Sale of Motorize Electric Vehicles
- 24 attended (6 from EV Group)
- Session was indexed and distributed to the EV Group email list, the Victoria EV Club email list, the Vancouver EV Association and the Prince George EV Group. As of April 2, others across the Province had accessed the course for a total of 87 viewings (more then triple the number that originally took in the course).
March 2, 2021. ZOOM: "Ask an EV expert" session (Topic: electric bikes)
- Featuring David Elderton of Hill Eater Bikes on Salt Spring
- 24 attended (2 from EV Group). Session was recorded and indexed and distributed to the EV Group email list and TSS Newsletter. As of April 2, others across the Province had accessed the course for a total of 23 viewings.
March 26, 2021. ZOOM: "Ask Salt Spring" session (Topic: electric cars and electric bikes)
- Featuring: Jim Standen on electric cars
- A low attendance of 5, but a full hour of good questions and answers. Gayle Baker (the host) was very happy with the result.
- https://saltspringexchange.com/2021/04/05/ask-salt-spring-everything-you-need-to-know-about-electric-vehicles-evs/
June 22, 2021. ZOOM: "Ask an EV expert" session (Topic: Electric Vehicles)
- Featured Julian Sale of Motorize Electric Vehicles on electric vehicles in general (supported by our friends at Victoria EVA)
- 12 attendees on a variety of EV topics
December 1, 2021. Released the results of our incremental annual EV count report documenting that is required to achieve 2030 emission reduction goal. This was covered by a detailed article in the December 1st Driftwood. The report is being circulated to nearby clubs and organizations..
November/December 2021. Began working with TSS - Climate Action Coach, Rob Lowrie, on several educational projects. These included planning for a ZOOM Education session in February 2022, an endorsement film and our role in the upgrading of chargers at Country Grocer and related recognition and charging guidelines signage.
2. CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE - REPAIRS:
January, 2021. ArtSpring Chargers
- Cause: Vandalism ("intense" pulling on wands and cables)
- Solution: work with Erin from ArtSpring (re: [email protected]). All repair costs absorbed by the TSS-EV Group
February, 2021. Island Savings Charger
- Cause: Wand is worn out
- Solution: Replace wand with donated replacement wand from Motorize Electric Vehicles (Thank you Motorize !!!). Wand and cable delivered to Dan Adair, Branch Manager, Feb 11. Steve (building manager) to complete upgrade using Dave Mayo of Sure Power electric. Steve confirmed swap-out completed (March 1st).
February, 2021. Library Charger
- Cause: Wand is worn out
- Solution: Replace wand with donated replacement wand from Motorize Electric Vehicles (Thank You Motorize !!!). Wand and cable delivered to Karen Hudson, Head Librarian, Feb 11. Robert Bartram (building manager) completed the upgrade.
total repair costs for all Charger Station repairs - $100
3. DCFC CHARGING
February, 2021. Initiated the DCFC charger investigation project
- Barbara Dempster (project lead), Gary Holman (CRD) and Darlene Gage (TSS Point Person). Barbara and Jim have walked Ganges and have a list of potential locations. Gary is to follow up with one of his contacts.
May, June, 2021. discussions proceeding with Vendor, location site (confidential) and CRD staff. Support has been harvested from Silver Shadow Taxi, WAWWE and Real Estate Agent Erin Williams. Meeting held with the CRD and interested parties. Cost is a significant factor.
4 ARTSPRING CHARGE TRANSFER
February/March, 2021.
Made initial contact with Elizabeth White, Earth Festival Society (key role player in original ArtSpring project), Cicela Mansson (ArtSpring), Gary Utter (Pharmasave) and Dave Brown (Creekhouse). Update as of March 10. Darleen Gage is now the lead on this project. The project is now defined as the transfer of the responsibility of the ArtSpring charger from Transition Salt Spring to the CRD. The EV Group provided additional background information of the history of the charger and current status. On July 10, was informed the process was in the final stages. Donation box and signage were returned to TSS-EV Group at fee of $75 for the sign/box removal and transportation and former sign re-install. A cost estimate is to be provided to TSS for the pending donation to BPH. PENDING. Final donation box cash transferred to TSS ($29.90).
5. COMMERCIAL EV USE.
Commercial use has been adopted by Country Grocer Pharmacy (Fiat 500e), CRD (plug-in Hybrid), local Real Estate agents (Tesla Model 3, Nissan Leaf and Kia Soul EV ), SS Taxi (Tesla Model 3 and Kia Soul EV) and WAWWE (Tesla Model 3 and Tesla Model Y), This use was recognized by the two page AQUA magazine article (see below). Article team: Gail Sjuberg, Jim Standen. Article widely distributed by the Victoria EV Association.
6. EVENTS.
August 4. We assisted Island Savings and Volvo with a live event demonstrating of their new offering, the Polstar. A similar car in price and function to the Tesla Model Y. "Why Buy an EV" brochures were handed out.
September 11. We welcomed the members of the Victoria EV Association and the Mid-Vancouver-Island EV Association for a ferry to SSI day. Fun drives around the lesser used roads with a destination of the Fernwood Road Cafe for their bi-weekly meetings. A total of XXX attended.
December 8. EV Owners Holiday Gathering at the Mateada. About 30 attendees and a fun time was had by all. Reasons for non-attendence included snowbirds not being available, COVID reluctance and ineligibility due to vaccination status. Future events are in the planning process.
7. MISCELLANEOUS BITS AND PIECES
- we supported the Community Energy Society - Southern allotment garden solar car charger project ($250)
- we committed funding in support of the Island pathways - Ruckle Park electric bike charger project ($500). This project was completed in August, 2021 and payment was arranged and fulfilled. See photos below:
- we received a request to support the WAWWE Food delivery company, which performs their deliveries in Tesla Model 3 and Tesla Model Y. They wished to approach other EV owners on SSI to volunteer to make deliveries. We sent an email and harvested 7 volunteers for them, and have assisted in their press releases. We made connections with the Driftwood and have added them on the EV Group Web Site under EV Business Heroes.
- added CRD electric vehicle to EV Business Heroes
- assisted Guy Dauncey from Yellow Point in the preparation of his one page "visit neighbour - why go electric document."
- assisted in a University of Calgary EV Survey (Huscayne School of Management)
- worked on the TSS-Working group agreement and TSS quarterly meetings. Negotiated abandoning both of those activities.
- Attended:
- "Ask Salt Spring" ZOOM Jan 29, 2021 as an EV Resource (topic was climate change)
- ZOOM meetings: EV Group Dec 20 and Jan 10th . 6 VEVA (Victoria EV Association) meetings
- EV Consulting ZOOM, Feb 1 (Curt Firestone, Ron Mackenzie, Peter Meyer). Connection to Derek Fry re: providing chargers with Hospital Expansion Project.
- Jim attended meetings as the SSI representative on the CRD EV Infrastructure Roadmap action group (per request Bryan Young).
- Explored the video concepts "EV 201" (What you immediately need to know when you get your EV"), and "Ask an Owner" panel and others.
- Completed the Fernwood Cafe "EV Coffee Points" card project. The card is designed to encourage more visits by EV owners to the Fernwood cafe during the pandemic and support our core mission "keep the conversation going" (see image below).
- Lots of phone/Zoom consults.
- worked on Country Grocer Expansion project (additional Level 2 chargers). FLO-G5 charger donated by real estate agent Sandra Smith. Purchased from Motorize.
6. FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY
- expenses were higher in January, 2021 due to one-time needs.
- the EV Group is well funded for the immediate future with a very happy TSS frozen funds balance.
- March, 2021. Received $250 from (CN) (Gary Holman Leaf purchase).
- September, 2021. Received $2,100 from a nearby dealer (DH) (7 purchases)
- October, 2021. Final deposit from ArtSpring Donation Box ... $29.90.
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SOME FUN STUFF