On April 26th, the Penfield Community Center hosted the annual Spring Drive Electric Earth Month event. The event was also a combination Arbor Day and Earth Day celebration with the Town of Penfield, with organizations on site to give away native plants and seed packets.

Penfield’s annual event began back in 2012, where the first EV charging station in Monroe County was unveiled. Since its humble beginnings with just a handful of cars, Penfield’s EV car show has grown into a significant display of all things electric, including school buses, electric utility vans, e-bikes, and electric lawn equipment!

There was something for everyone at the event. In total, 43 EV owners registered to showcase their vehicles, which ranged from a vintage Volkswagen Beetle with a converted electric engine, to a variety of models from well-known brands like Rivian, Chevy, Ford, Volvo, Toyota, Kia, Hyundai, Mercedes, etc. With almost 2 million vehicle miles driven by registered EV owners at the time of registration, visitors had access to some of the most knowledgeable members of the local EV community.

In addition, a handful of auto dealers were on-hand to highlight the various EV models available for purchase in the Rochester area. Dealers noted that public sentiment has continued to change over the years, whereas visitors to past shows were more likely to express concerns or skepticism, now they are more likely to ask questions about selecting the make and model that best suits a customer’s needs.

Adding to the lineup were electric engines large and small. Industries like landscaping and construction also have a role to play in reducing emissions from the equipment they rely on for daily tasks. Landpro Equipment, which stocks zero emission lawn mowers, leaf blowers and other devices had two electric riding mowers as well as a utility cart with dump bed on display (and for test drives!). Weiders ACE Hardware exhibited electric lawn equipment for the summer season, but they also have electric winter equipment.

Rounding out the wide range of organizations and exhibitors were GreenSpark Solar - a local favorite for sustainable energy solutions, Fairport’s RV&E Bike Shop with a selection of climate-friendly e-bikes, and Franklin Energy, who works with RG&E as well as NYSEG to build out NY's public charging station infrastructure. We even had Penfield's very own FIRST Robotics FTC 6996 chapter (Rolling Thunder) show off their robots!