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Photos Courtesy of Project EVIE
Next summer four spirited, ambitious and forward-thinking New Yorkers will embark on a road-trip extraordinaire as they attempt to drive around the world in an electric car. Yep, one of those tuna-cans on wheels. Four adults. One year. Together. Let's hope the car has a good stereo and that they all like the same kind of music...
All the way around the globe in an electric vehicle? It's possible, says Jeff Bladt, the Expedition Leader of Project EVIE, the first expedition to drive around the world in a production electric vehicle. They'll start in New Zealand and finish one year later, jubilantly, in New York City. Ideally with an interview on a talk show (or two, or three).
From Friendship to Earth-Friendly Action
Jeff and two of his fellow University of Chicago classmates came up with the idea while sitting in a Brooklyn coffee shop reminiscing about their travels through Eastern Europe. They all share a love of exploration and adventure, of the exotic, dangerous and beautiful. But they also share a grave concern about the ability of future generations to experience the wonder of our planet, given an ever-increasing consumption of fossil fuels, the lion's share of which is used for motor gasoline, despite the immediate and emerging availability of clean, safe, money-saving alternatives...like electric cars.
One of Project EVIE's goals is to demonstrate just how easy it is to travel - even long distances - in an electric car. "People have massive misconceptions," Jeff explains. "When they think of an electric car, they have an idea of a glorified golf cart." This widely-held belief is very far from reality, as clearly illustrated on their website, www.project-evie.org. The site offers photos and clear, detailed descriptions of a variety of electric vehicles, from sedans and SUVs to trucks and vans. In other words, there's a sufficient variety of vehicles to accommodate the yearnings of a diverse group of drivers, including off-roaders, soccer moms, and contractors. Electric cars now have the versatility to haul families or heavy loads without forfeiting the benefits of eco-consciousness.
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The Project EVIE Route: 6 continents, 50 countries and Zero emissions. |
The most common reason people don't drive electric cars? Range anxiety. Drivers worry about running out of 'fuel' miles away from a charging station - which is, frankly, a legitimate concern in many parts of the country (and the world) in advance of a broader commercial build-out of the necessary electric transportation infrastructure. However, the Project EVIE team is hoping that by successfully traveling ultra-long distances in an EV (despite all the advanced charging station-planning that will entail), they can nudge public opinion closer to wide-spread acceptance of electric cars.
Do-Good Globe Trotters
"While we're on the road we're hoping to garner a lot of attention from local media. We want to have a dialogue with people. Every night we want to be able to sit down with an enthusiastic person and get perspective. We want to pull in suggestions. Our goal is to experience a very personal take on wherever we are in the world."
Jeff realizes that their goal of shifting people's attitudes towards electric cars is an ambitious one. "The EV concept hasn't made significant inroads into the American consciousness," he acknowledges. "When I talk with people, the conversation rides the arc from 'no way, no how' to 'awesome, how can I get one?'. Even when returning home to Michigan, Jeff is often met with skepticism. "The general reaction (to EVs) is, 'how are you going to do this? where are you going to get one of these cars?' "
Jeff and his team believe that "a picture is worth a thousand words" and plan to do extensive photo-journaling during their eco-adventure. Project EVIE is in initial discussions with filmmakers about editing the hours of video and media coverage that the journey will generate, with the possibility of a documentary chronicling the trip from start to finish. "We have several people who would be interested in cobbling something together with our own footage," he says.
When asked how their families feel about this trip, Jeff admits, "The mothers worry, of course." He says his own family has "slowly warmed" to the idea. "They eventually realized their son was doing something serious, not just hitting the road for a year." They're actively seeking sponsors with serious enviro-cred. "We don't want this to turn into 'The Burger King road trip'. We want individuals and corporations who have actually done important things for the environment."
The Project EVIE web site states as their mission, ". . . a proof of concept for EVs. If we can blaze around the world, brave the autobahn, climb mountains, cross deserts and trek off-road, then anyone can easily drive to work, breeze through a family vacation, or do anything else you would do with a car - without destroying the planet."
Who wouldn't want to be part of that road trip?
Learn more about Project EVIE, as well as how to sponsor the venture, at www.project-evie.org.
About the Author
Patricia Curry -- Coordinator, Administration
After ten years at Microsoft, Patricia happily left the corporate life behind to focus on causes she finds personally compelling, such as the state of the planet. Having traveled, studied, and worked abroad extensively, her experiences have made her enthusiastic about encouraging ways of living conservatively and consciously in our daily life. She is an ardent rooftop gardener, a lover of cats, and is thrilled to be a part of a citywide effort to bring methods of living sustainability to New York.
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