The Sechelt Electric Vehicle Festival is marking its fifth year with a new location and a new organization backing it.
The festival, set for Sept. 21 on the playing fields at the Sechelt Learning Centre (the former Sechelt Elementary) at 5533 Ocean Ave., is now under the umbrella of the recently formed Sunshine Coast Electric Vehicle Association (SCEVA).
Organizer John Henderson said the association is hoping this year’s festival will attract electric motorcycles, bicycles, scooters and other e-transport as well as passenger vehicles.
He also said they expect to have the owners of a lot of the newer models on site, including the Jaguar iPace SUV, Hyundai Kona, and Kia Nero as well as the increasingly common Nissan Leaf, Chevy Bolt and Teslas.
As well as providing a chance for EV owners to talk shop and show off their rides, the festival will offer food courtesy of the Lions Club, a bouncy castle, and other entertainment.
Some EV owners have also volunteered to take people on ride-alongs. Henderson recommends getting there early if you’re interested.
The association is hoping for a good cross-section of new EV models and is eager to attract a lot of new EV owners.
“The new owners learn a lot about how much fun it is to talk about EVs, and other people [considering EVs] would rather talk to someone who’s made the decision to buy,” Henderson said. “It’s a lot of fun and there’s a real community.”
The SCEVA has been trying to get a count of the number of EV owners on the Coast, which Henderson thinks could be among the top communities in the province for EV ownership per capita. He said more than 100 people have joined the association since it was formed. “Anybody who knows what to look for will see how many EVs there are on the Coast now.”
Sechelt Mayor Darnelda Siegers is scheduled to proclaim Sept. 21 “Electric Vehicle Day” in the district.
The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
