“People will get to see EVs, sit inside EVs, and we might even have some ride along experiences,” said William Hite, an EV enthusiast in Waynesville and organizer of the event. “We will also dispel some of the myths about EVs.”

The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 13, at First United Methodist Church in Waynesville.

A 90-minute crash course on EVs will walk through the logistics and decision points behind an EV purchase.

How much do you save on gas versus the cost to your electric bill? How long does it take to charge them? What mileage range and speed do they have? What incentives can you get? What are the pros-and-cons of models on the market?

Attendees can then wander the EV expo in the church parking lot courtesy of ambassadors with the Blue Ridge Electric Vehicle Club.

“People with EVs are not shy. They don’t shut up about them. That’s just a thing,” Hite said.

While the EV transition is taking America by storm, many don’t realize how accessible EVs are.

“It’s a myth that they’re so expensive that only the rich can afford them,” said Besty Wall of Waynesville, with the grassroots WNC Climate Action Coalition. “And gas prices aren’t going to come down significantly ever. They just aren’t.”

The event is part of a summer series put on by the WNC Climate Action Coalition on carbon-reducing lifestyle choices — from going solar to making homes more energy efficient.

“The series was envisioned as a comprehensive look at how the average person can lower their carbon footprint given the concern about greenhouse gasses and how we are warming the planet,” said Wall. “We know the demand for electric vehicles has risen dramatically, and people want to know more about them.”

Why go EV?

Hite, who’s leading the information session, will be armed with numbers to help people with the financial calculation behind buying an EV — based on how many miles you drive, what model you get and who your electric provider is.

“The price of gas would have to be less than $1 to be comparable with an electric vehicle,” he said.

But the beauty of owning an EV isn’t just saving on gas. There’s no oil changes, no belts that wear out, no transmission fluid to replace.

“None of that stuff, you just get in and drive,” Hite said.

Yet myths abound, largely a hold-over from the early days of EVs.

“Early adopters were people who liked to suffer. The charging took forever, they didn’t go fast, you had to worry about your distance. That has changed rapidly,” he said.

New EVs have a minimum range of 250 miles before needing a charge, with some going up to 400 miles. On road trips, lightning fast charging stations have you back on the road with a full charge after a 30-minute lunch stop.

With fast charging stations proliferating around the country, so-called “range anxiety” is now a thing of the past. The majority of the time, however, charging up is as simple as plugging in to an outlet when you pull into your driveway.

“The majority of driving is local, and 95% of charging is done at home,” Hite said.

Given Haywood’s tourism-based economy, the WNC Climate Action Coalition has been lobbying for the build-out of fast-charging stations. Not doing so is missing a golden opportunity at best, and being left behind at worst.

“This change is coming fast,” Wall said. “We want to demonstrate to our elected officials that the interest in electric vehicles is here.”

It’s something that the auto industry has already realized.

“Auto manufacturers are investing billions of dollars in the EV transition and banking their companies’ future on it,” Hite said.“EV reservations and sales are skyrocketing. Costs are dropping, too. Going from 0-60 in three seconds has never been more fun or within reach of everyday Americans.”

The event is co-sponsored by the WNC Action Coalition and the Creation Care Ministry at First United Methodist. To attend via Zoom, see WNCClimateAction.com.

If you are an EV owner and willing to join the expo to show your car, email Hite at WilliamMHite@gmail.com.