Join CEC at workshops for prospective electric vehicle (EV) owners, with info about rebates, home charging units, and public fast-charging stations. The workshops will also include test drives and a conversation with current EV owners. Come to one of the workshops to learn one of these vehicles might work for you, or pass this announcement along to friends that might be considering a new car.

Free lunch is included but requires an RSVP.  RSVP today >

Santa Barbara Workshop

Saturday, January 28, 2012 | 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Santa Barbara MTD | 550 Olive St. | Santa Barbara, CA 93101
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Camarillo Workshop

Sunday, January 29, 2012 | 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Pleasant Valley School District Auditorium, 2222 E Ventura Blvd., Camarillo, CA 93010
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Why is CEC so interested in electric vehicles?

These revolutionary new vehicles are not only fun to drive, but they achieve approximately 100 mpg equivalent, produce zero tailpipe emissions, and cut greenhouse gas emissions by 75% (or 100% if you plug in to rooftop solar panels). By the end of this year, there will be a dozen new models of EVs of all shapes and sizes on the market.

Michel Saint-Sulpice is a gentle soul who takes his responsibility for the planet seriously, and always has. Growing up in France, his family was careful with resources, and he has carried forth that strong environmental ethic into his adult life as a Santa Barbara architect.

Michel aspires to be fossil fuel free by the end of 2012, and he’s well on his way. Solar panels provide his home with electricity, and he’s been driving a Toyota Prius since the second generation first hit the market. He completely removed his lawn to make room for a beautiful drought tolerant landscape. Greywater and collected rain water (with back-up well water) will soon irrigate a “food forest.” On the drawing board is a geothermal system that will heat the entire house (with cooling option), all his domestic water and his swimming pool year round. Since Michel produces all his electricity, his carbon footprint will be zero, and he will not be paying electric and gas bills any longer. He has taken these measures to express his deep appreciation for nature and beauty.

Recently, however, Michel took his environmental commitment to a new level, after attending a screening of “Revenge of the Electric Car,” co-sponsored by CEC in October. He was so inspired by the film and the subsequent panel of speakers (the director, two of the film’s stars, a Chevy Volt owner and a Nissan Leaf owner) that he went out and bought an all-electric Nissan Leaf the next day!

Before seeing the film, Michel had done his homework and knew he wanted to take advantage of the current government incentives to promote electric vehicles. But that night, he knew the time was right.

The added bonus for Michel is that when he plugs in his new electric vehicle at home, he has enough solar panels (63 of them!) on his roof to power his home and the car. In fact, Michel is part of a growing group of “early adopters” who are driving around town in cars powered by sunshine instead of oil.

One hour’s worth of the sun’s rays hitting earth could supply all of earth’s electricity needs for a year. Only if it could be captured, that is. Michel captures as much of that sunlight as he can, to power his life and energize his spirit. He envisions a future where all households are run efficiently and powered by the sun. Part of his life’s pleasure is working towards achieving this himself, and extending his grace (and extra energy) towards others.

Tucked away on a peaceful cul-de-sac that backs up to Elings Park, Dan Emmett's home wouldn't be thought of as an environmental statement at first glance. The solar paneled roof – barely visible except from the upper lawn in the back yard – might even go unnoticed. But Dan and others like him are starting a quiet revolution, built around the idea that solar electricity can power their homes, hot tubs, and even cars.

Dan and his partner Henri Bristol had a 3.5 kW solar panel system installed on their house last year, in part because they were expecting delivery of one of the first all-electric vehicles to be sold by a major car manufacturer, the Nissan Leaf. "I signed up for the Leaf the day they opened the waiting list – even before the cars had been manufactured," he says.

As CEO of a solar energy startup company, Dan wanted to get as close as possible to driving without fossil fuels. "I didn't want to just get a hybrid; I wanted to be completely off petroleum. I wanted my only trips to the gas station to be to be for a pit stop," he says.

"I like the security of knowing that if something were to happen – an earthquake, disruption to the supply of gasoline, or other crisis – I can still get around," he says. "I love how quiet the car is, and also how clean – no tailpipe, no emissions. My bedroom is above the garage, so I like the peace of mind of not having fumes or combustibles just a few feet under my pillow."

He also points out the financial benefits. By day, if his solar panels are generating more electricity than he's using, that electricity is fed into the Southern California Edison grid, where he avoids paying the highest peak period rates of 55 cents per kWh. At midnight, when he charges the car under special "time of use" rates for electric vehicle owners, he pays 10 cents per kWh.

For the most part – like most electric vehicle owners – Dan charges his car battery at home. When he was on the waiting list for his Nissan Leaf, the company sent out a licensed electrician, who recommended that he install a 220-volt charging unit in his garage. "The car does come with a charging kit for a 110-volt outlet, but they call that a 'trickle charge.' It is very slow – you wouldn't even get a full charge overnight." He opted for the 220-volt charging unit, the cost of which was partially offset by a federal tax credit.

With the solar panels on his roof and the new charging station in his garage, Dan was almost ready to leave Santa Barbara in his sunshine-powered car. He just had one problem – something electric vehicle drivers call 'range anxiety' or the fear of running out of juice. He recalls, "I didn't just have range anxiety, I had range panic. I made it to L.A. on the original charge, but it was really dicey – I was in heavy traffic, and I had two miles left on the battery when I got to my destination. When they said that the car had 100 to 120 mile range, I knew that was variable, but my trip was 87 miles door-to-door and I thought I would have more leeway." Since then, he's gotten more accustomed to driving electric and is a pro at finding public charging stations on longer trips.

"It's amazing where technology is – everything is intuitive and transparent. To anyone who is thinking about doing something similar, I would say do it. You will see your gasoline bills and electricity bills go away. It's a lifestyle choice that I think is only going to get easier as the technology improves."

Article modified from original submission to Seasons Magazine.