National Drive Electric Week on the Santa Fe Plaza this Saturday, October 5th

State Agency Media Release – From the New Mexico Environment Department

The Presenters of National Drive Electric Week are hosting the 3rd Annual Electric Car Show on the Santa Fe Plaza this Saturday, October 5th, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  

You are invited to:

• Speak to electric vehicel (EV) owners about why they love their rides.
• Check out the wide range of EV models from New Mexico car dealers. 
• Register for EV and charging rebates from your local utilities.
• Learn about how to access state EV tax incentives.
• Tap into funding from New Mexico Department of Transportation for charging infrastructure at your business.
• Hear about EV cost savings.
• Find out about career positions that the Climate Change Bureau offers.

And if you don’t have a chance to join us, consider these five reasons to add an EV to your household:

1. The prices of EVs are dropping. In addition to more models coming on the market, with a great range of sticker prices, the total cost of ownership savingsis over $10,000 for compact electric sedans compared to compact gasoline sedans (Nigro, N. and Wilkins, D. March 2024. “Comparing the Cost of Owning the Most Popular Vehicles in the United States”; https://atlaspolicy.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Comparing-the-Cost-of-Owning-the-Most-Popular-Vehicles-in-the-United-States.pdf). Additionally, many EVs (new and used) are eligible for federal and state tax incentives (totaling up to $10,500 in credits for New Mexicans), with utilities offered additional savings for low-income households.  
2. EV owners pay much less for routine vehicle maintenance. Regular maintenance is limited to the addition of wiper fluid and tire rotation. 
3. EVs will get you there and back. The average daily commute for New Mexicans is 38 miles, which means most New Mexicans can easily fuel their drive from an overnight charge. 
4. Public charging is becoming more widespread in New Mexico.  Currently New Mexico has over 822 charging ports. Details on the types and locations are available at this New Mexico Department of Transportation webpage (https://www.dot.nm.gov/electrifying-new-mexico/?ev=charging).
5. Most EV owners charge over 85% of their use at home. In addition to using an existing regular 3-prong outlet, many utilities offer customers rebates to install Level 2 chargers. A standard Level 2 charger, common for home charging, can recharge 38 miles in under two hours.

Make an electric vehicle part of your future!

For more information on NMED’s Climate Change Bureau, please visit:  https://www.env.nm.gov/climate-change-bureau/