On April 20th, 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 and the occasional police cruiser. 

There was something for everyone at the event. In total, 65 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 Tesla, Chevy, and Ford, to the new Fisker Ocean SUV. With almost 2 million vehicle miles driven by registered EV owners at the time of registration, and representatives from groups like the Tesla Owners Club of New York, 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 changed 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. Brodner Equipment, which stocks zero emission lawn mowers, leaf blowers and other devices had two autonomous mowers on display (and for test drives!). Brodner currently supplies several public school districts in the County as well as RIT with these lawn robots, which they explain aren’t just for courtyards. Local supplier ADMAR has a wide selection of electric equipment on hand ranging all the way from hand tools to excavators.

Rounding out the wide range of organizations and exhibitors were GreenSpark Solar, Fairport’s RV&E Bike Shop with a selection of climate-friendly e-bikes, the Southeast Area Coalition’s Tool Shed where members can borrow hand and electric-powered tools to get home projects done, and RS Motorsports out of Canandaigua with their fleet of zero emission golf carts.