Photo via Drive $mart Wisconsin
Drive $mart Wisconsin
In conjunction with National Drive Electric Week, Drive $mart Wisconsin will host the state’s largest electric car show at West Allis Festival Foods, 11111 West Greenfield Ave., from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. October 2.
“Everybody knows about electric vehicles, but there are a lot of myths out there,” said Drive $mart Wisconsin founder Bradlee Fons, who started the organization with his son Justin, a car enthusiast, in 2005.
The free event, which will be held in the store’s north parking lot and will observe COVID-19 safety protocols, will feature 20 used and new electric and plug-in vehicles of different makes and models, including Tesla, Nissan, GM and Toyota. An electric vehicle owners’ forum will take place from 11:30 a.m. to noon.
Self-taught mechanical engineer and Oconomowoc area resident Ben Nelson will speak and display his mobile solar-powered trailer at the event. “I call him the wizard of Oconomowoc,” Fons said.
Educating Owners
Fons said he became interested in electric vehicles in 2002, when Justin purchased one. Impressed, Bradlee and his wife purchased a Honda Insight shortly after that. In 2005, Bradlee and Justin Fons created Milwaukee Hybrid Group. “We started meeting with, and teaching, people with hybrid vehicles how to drive them,” Bradlee Fons said. Re-named Drive $mart Wisconsin, the group has grown to 850 members in North America. The organization educates all types of vehicle owners how to operate vehicles more fuel-efficiently—which can save them money on gas while reducing environmental impact.
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“Driving smart can raise your fuel economy, and cut tailpipe emissions by 30%,” Fons noted.
During several annual meetings, the Fonses take members for a drive in their own vehicles, demonstrating ways to be more fuel-efficient when behind the wheel.
Additionally, Drive $mart has partnered with Milwaukee Public Schools’ Drivers Education program to teach students smart driving tips and tricks. The organization has been recognized by the Canadian government as meeting smart driving protocols.
Hybrid and electric vehicles can be pricier than gas-powered vehicles. However, according to the US Department of Energy, “all electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles that were purchased new or after 2010 may be eligible for a federal income tax credit of up to $7,500.”
Fons said his goal is to host electric vehicle events at each of the 35 Festival Foods in Wisconsin, all of which have installed Level 2-J1771 electric vehicle charging stations.
For more information about Drive $mart Wisconsin, visit drivesmartwi.com/.
