It’s Saturday morning in Montpelier and the Capital City Farmers Market is drawing the usual crowd of regulars and tourists. However, on this Aug. 30, there’s an additional attraction across the street. It’s called a petting zoo, but no baby lambs are bleating and no donkeys are braying. This is an EV petting zoo, a chance to take a close look at an assortment of electric vehicles. The event is sponsored by members of Third Act, a national organization for Americans over 60 years old dedicated to safeguarding our democracy and our planet.
Their goal this morning is to help people better understand the advantages of owning an electric vehicle. Different models and different makes of EV cars and trucks are available to check out and their owners are ready to share information with the visitors peering into the vehicles.
Third Act member Andrea Warnke notes that this is a good time to purchase an EV.
“They’re becoming more affordable … The $7,500 federal rebates go away on September 30, but individual states and individual utilities like Green Mountain Power will still have rebates,” she said.
Residential GMP customers, for example, can currently receive up to $2,200 in rebates from GMP with an additional $1,000 for those who are income eligible.
Warnke also points out that, “Montpelier has a really robust array of chargers, and once you get an EV, you’ll collect apps with special rates for chargers.”
According to Alissa Klar, also a member of Third Act and owner of a 2023 Ford pickup truck, the advantages go beyond benefits for the planet. “They’re good cars for the EVwinter. The weight of the battery helps in driving.”
Klar demonstrates some of the special features of her 2023 Ford pickup. “It adjusts to any height, even the pedals,” she says. Climbing into the truck bed is simple as it provides steps for easy access.
What about those older adults who may be wary of having to tangle with new technology? Warnke acknowledges that for some there might be a learning curve, but adds that it’s different for adults like herself who are just getting into their sixties.
“We grew up with technology,” she says.
Thomas Passburg and his partner, Katherine Foley, were among the younger people excited about the possibility of becoming EV owners.
“Our next car will be an EV,” says Foley. “That’s the future.”
