Building influence capital
Members of the Greater Washington DC Electric Vehicle Association are making an outsized mark on EV policy, education, and advocacy.
The Greater Washington DC Electric Vehicle Association members exhibit their EVs during lunch hour at Whitman High School in Maryland.
Maybe it’s just in the air. Maybe it’s just the community ethos in the most political city in the country. But, whatever the reason, the Electric Vehicle Association of Greater Washington DC (EVADC)—spanning Maryland, Northern Virginia, and the District of Columbia—has been hard at work to support progressive electric vehicle (EV) legislation and regulations.
“The backdrop of DC can be very helpful,” says Ron Kaltenbaugh, President of EVADC, an Electric Auto Association chapter since 1980 that has grown to over 150 members. “It gives us a certain momentum, kind of energizes our efforts. But most of what we’ve been getting done can be applied anywhere.”
As an example, Kaltenbaugh cited what the EVADC website refers to as “Our Famous Electric Vehicle Information Sheet,” which has been adopted by other Electric Auto Association chapters, as well as non-profits and government agencies such as the Maryland Department of Transportation’s Zero Emissions Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Council. This last group reports directly to Maryland Governor Larry Hogan.
“It’s fine for others to use our work as long as they source it to us,” Kaltenbaugh says. “It’s one of the best fact sheets out there.”
Most legislation in Maryland
Many EVADC members are already multi-EV families, and many more are on the way toward this goal. The largest concentration of chapter members reside in Maryland, where many are active in promoting an EV agenda.
“We have a chapter sub-group that’s working on Maryland’s EV legislation specifically,” Ron explains. “We write letters, send emails. We’ve gone to Annapolis where we’ve formed partnerships with other organizations and met with legislators, many of whom are EV-friendly.”
In fact, according to Bob Erdman, EVADC’s treasurer, an ever-increasing number of Maryland legislators are driving EVs. “It’s up to six now, and they’re driving an assortment of vehicles,” he says.
“It’s not my forte to get up in front of the legislature, but I’ve done it eight or 10 times now in support of EVs,” continues Erdman, explaining that one piece of legislation supported by the organization enabled Tesla to open stores in Maryland. “It’s been an interesting adventure to find out how legislation works.”
“There’s a difference between advocating on the state level and on Capitol Hill in DC,” he continues. “On the federal level, we meet with staffers. In Annapolis, we talk to the legislators themselves.”
“Several of our members have been active in the public process regarding the direction the utilities have been taking to expand EV charging infrastructure,” Erdman explains, noting EVADC’s work in support of PC44, a measure considered by the Maryland Public Service Commission that allowed utilities to install charging equipment in specific areas.
EVADC members have also traveled to Richmond, Virginia, in support of efforts by that city’s Electric Auto Association chapter in the Virginia statehouse. “There’s a lot of work to be done in Virginia,” Erdman says. “It’s a non-ZEV state, so residents have often needed to travel to Maryland to purchase an EV.”
On the national level, as well as the state level, many EVDCA members are solar and alternative energy advocates who bring the chapter into work on climate change issues on Capitol Hill in Washington DC and elsewhere.
Effective locally, too
EVADC chapter members know that much progress can be made by working on the county level. Recently, two members were instrumental in pushing through Howard County, Maryland legislation that requires EV-ready wiring to be included in all new residential construction.
The chapter has also been very successful in local EV education efforts, including a high school program where members show-up with their EVs during school lunch periods. The students have shown great interest in viewing the cars, and many have taken their enthusiasm home to their parents.
In Hyattsville, Maryland, chapter member Sergeant Richard Hartnett of the Hyattsville City Police Department successfully lobbied for the purchase of a Chevrolet Bolt and two Zero Motorcycles for the department’s vehicle fleet. The purchase was the subject of an article in the national “Chevy New Roads Magazine” and profiled on “MotorWeek” on PBS.
EVADC chapter meeting
Online before the pandemic
Back in 2018, EVADC’s monthly meetings were drawing between 30 and 45 EV enthusiasts, including chapter members, as well as non-members looking for EV information. In 2019, due to the chapter’s extensive geographical area, membership requested that meetings go online for improved access.
“I joke with folks that I don’t really need to put an agenda together, that all I really need to do is start the meeting and someone brings something up and then it goes on from there,” Kaltanbaugh says. “We tend to get very wonky and in the weeds.”
The chapter president noted one EVADC tradition that all chapter members keep a running log of miles driven in their respective EVs. A cumulative record is also maintained, Kaltenbaugh proud that the total now stands at over 4.2 million miles.
“I’m a network engineer at a Fortune 500 company, but that’s just my day job that pays the bills,” Ron says. “My ‘real’ job is running this chapter and advocating for EVs and climate change.”
“Since I became president, I’m just amazed at how many people find me,” he continues. “I’ve received emails, calls from reporters and other folks asking for phone interviews, or just EV information. It’s great to be here to provide what’s needed.”