Rap Hankins, President of Drive Electric Dayton, a chapter of Electric Vehicle Association, shows how active chapters are making a difference with Electric Vehicle adoption.

Grant Gerke, Senior Communications Specialist at EVA

Once a city council member in Trotwood, Ohio, Rap Hankins knows how to bring people together. Rap is now retired as a council member but is putting in 40-hour weeks as president of Drive Electric Dayton, a chapter of the Electric Vehicle Association. His job includes visiting local municipalities, state capitals, connecting and meeting EV advocates in and out of government, organizing events, and helping EV newbies at charging stations in Ohio.

We had the pleasure of interviewing Rap Hankins.

Electric Vehicle Association (EVA): So, how has Drive Electric Dayton evolved?

Rap Hankins: So, seven years ago, the Dayton chapter was a Tesla group. Everybody loved their electric vehicles (EVs) and wanted to do ride-and-drive events. And the club did this very well by “touching” people and getting them excited about owning electric vehicles.

I became involved with the Electric Vehicle Association and Drive Electric Dayton after a tornado ripped through my hometown of Trotwood, Ohio. Suddenly, global warming became real and personal. I had always wanted to own an electric vehicle and wondered what our local electric infrastructure looked like. I pulled up the app, PlugShare, and to no surprise, I discovered there were no chargers in my community of 24,000 people.

With this lack of infrastructure, I decided to organize the first ride-and-drive in Trotwood to create interest in EVs and bring to the attention of local elected officials the lacking EV infrastructure that existed in underserved communities in the Greater Dayton region with emphasis on the City of Trotwood. While planning the event, I was informed by my local VW dealer that a VW ID.4 had become available. This meant I was able to join with individuals who came to our first event and showcase my new ID.4. As I continued work with Drive Electric Dayton and stressed the importance of utilizing the principles of equity, our work expanded and our president, Tim Benford, asked me if I would become the regional equity liaison for our chapter.

We coined the phrase: “EVs For All,” emphasizing that if we are to be successful in introducing EVs to individuals of various cultural, social, and economic levels, EVs need to become more affordable, more reliable, and more accessible to all. Unlike the West Coast and other areas in North America, there is a severe shortage of used EVs throughout the Midwest.

EVA: What kind of tactics did you employ to broaden the scope of the Dayton chapter?

Hankins: I learned that bigger is better when it comes to events. We needed to be where the people were. It is better to join others and gain permission to build an event with them.

A perfect example of this growth is when we participated in the Dayton African-American Cultural Festival. Approximately 10,000 people attend this annual event. Our chapter’s members are predominantly white. That day, we learned something about EV adoption: communities are not monoliths. People are different and unique. When we display EVs throughout our region, we need to simply give people the facts, and they will make the best choice based on their lifestyle to own EVs. We have broadened our EV participation and education to anyone and everyone.

We held our annual EV Me Out to the Ballgame event on July 22 in front of 8,500 fans of the Dayton Dragons minor league baseball team. We placed 32 unique and different EVs on the concourse at the Day Air Credit Union Ballpark entrance. The event went so well that we have been asked to return next year.

We featured the Cadillac Lyriq, Teslas, Mercedes, VW, Hyundai, Ford, Rivian and GM. The lesson that our members have learned is that if we are to be successful in our mission of encouraging EV adoption, we must go where the people are, choosing locations that are accessible to the vast majority of people throughout our region and be well-schooled to answer the onslaught of questions that come from those who participate in our many events.

For example, we have moved to the 2nd Street Public Market, in the center of downtown Dayton, on the third Sunday of each month. We have dozens of EVs at the market, and folks can talk to us about what it’s like to drive, charge and maintain EVs.

We have exciting events in the works to help us achieve our goals: EV Under the Stars, EVs at the Movies, and in the fall, EVs at the Symphony - where I plan to wear a tuxedo as I stand next to my ID.4 “Whisper” answering questions.

EVA: Tell me about your advocacy tactics with the Dayton chapter.

Hankins: Earlier this year, I visited elected officials at the Ohio state capital in Columbus. Our message was focused: “EVs create jobs.” I pointed out that numerous companies are building battery manufacturing plants throughout Ohio. And charging infrastructure will need to be made somewhere, why not Ohio?

The Dayton chapter emphasizes fact-to-face contact and ensuring that our arguments are clearly stated and focus on what elected officials are concerned about: jobs, j-o-b-s, and JOBS.

As companies, such as Google, Intel, and Honda, increase their presence in Ohio. Drive Electric Dayton stresses the need to increase our state’s investment in EV infrastructure. Ohio is the first state to get its NEVI funding approved to put DC chargers every 50 miles in major corridors throughout the state.

Drive Electric Dayton strongly stresses we are willing to pay our fair share to keep our travel infrastructure strong. We make it clear that the owners of conventional gas and diesel vehicles should pay the same as EV owners.

Moreover, I’m meeting with county commissioners in Ohio because these officials are putting the chargers in the ground, and I want to thank them.

I was returning from a meeting in Columbus and stopped at an Electrify America charging station. I watched a new owner of a Volkswagen EV struggle to unplug the DC fast charger from her car. I walked by to see if I could assist, and she was almost in tears. I mentioned that I’m a member of the Electric Vehicle Association, provided my card and literature, and defused her anxiety with the situation. I said I could help and proceeded to unplug her car. Two months later, I visited the same station, and the same lady appeared. She said, "you’re Rap Hankins with the Electric Vehicles Association."

It’s true, not every member of the Dayton chapter cares about the environment. Not every member of the chapter cares about racial equity. Some people want to pay their $55 membership fee and participate in our events. But it's up to the chapter leadership to talk about the vision and positions of our organization.

So as I said, we’re meeting people, changing perceptions, and helping people along the way. As a result, we are becoming more diverse and smarter in the way we are approaching our tasks. I believe we are having a concentrated effect on EV adoption. More importantly, to the Electric Vehicle Association, our membership is growing.

The Electric Vehicle Association is at the forefront of EV adoption in North America. This transition will be successful if we can speak with a core set of principles that we can share locally, at our state capitals, and in Washington, D.C. Here’s what we believe and should talk about:

• EVs are good for the economy.

• EVs are good for the health of the American people.

• EVs are good for the environment.

We are successful because we have an amazing team who believes in these messages and shares them wherever we go. And we are proud to be members of the Electric Vehicle Association.

Which Electric Vehicle is Right for You?

The EVA’s 2023 Electric Vehicle Guide offers a quick look at what EVs are available in the U.S, including those eligible for the federal tax credit. See which EV is right for you!