Electric Vehicle Day returns to San Diego International Auto Show on, Friday, Jan. 30

San Diego, Dec. 13, 2016 –SDG&E returns to the San Diego International Auto Show (SDIAS) this year as the ThinkBlue Eco-Center sponsor and will participate for all five days. The center will feature an array of all-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, and there will be an EV for just about every lifestyle on display. Attendees can check out the EVs and take one for a spin through onsite ride and drives.The show runs Dec. 29 – Jan. 2 at the San Diego Convention Center.

The Eco-Center will be buzzing with visitors all five days, especially on Electric Vehicle Day on Friday, Dec. 30th. The colorful imagery of SDG&E’s Power Your Drive program will adorn the main stage and businesses and multi-family communities can sign up to have charging stations installed at their locations through this highly beneficial program.

Subject experts will host informative “EV101” talks throughout the day. The stage will also be equipped with a kiosk where visitors can use SDG&E’s online EV guide to find the EV that fits their lifestyle and learn about special rates and monetary incentives that make EVs a great choice for San Diegans.

Participating EV Manufacturers, to date, include:Kia, Hyundai, Volvo, Mercedes Benz, Toyota, Honda, BMW and Volkswagen.

San Diego has positioned itself as a green transportation leader in this growing new field. The region has one of the highest per capita electric vehicle (EV) ownership rates in the country, with more than 22,000 EVs currently driving on San Diego’s roads.These vehicles are sporty and provide a fun drive, more like a sports car than an economy car. There are now more than 25 plug-in EV models on the market from every major car manufacturer, including new, more affordable models that can travel more than 200 miles on a single battery charge. Today, there is an EV for every lifestyle.

EVs also save money and can reduce time spent on California’s busy freeways. On average, EV charging between midnight and 5 a.m. is equivalent to paying approximately $2 per gallon for gas when you are on SDG&E’s special EV rate.

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Of course, cost savings are not the only reason people consider an electric drive. Upgrading the transportation sector to run on electricity instead of oil also helps reduce harmful air pollutants, as the transportation sector currently accounts for approximately 40% of California’s and 54% of San Diego’s total greenhouse gas emissions.

To encourage this beneficial shift to clean electricity as a fuel, Governor Jerry Brown has called for 1.5 million zero emissions vehicles on California’s roads by 2025. This growth is expected to occur in every sector, including passenger cars, business fleets, and heavy duty trucking and transit buses. A major hurdle is having adequate charging infrastructure to support all these new clean cars.

In answer to this challenge, SDG&E has launched the Power Your Drive program to install 3,500 new electric vehicle-charging stations at apartments, condos, businesses and disadvantaged communities. This will expand access to charging at these locations, where currently few if any charging stations exist.

The program will also feature special rates to encourage off-peak charging and maximize the use of renewable energy to charge the cars. And with more than 33 percent of the energy SDG&E supplies to customers already coming from solar and wind, residents will literally be driving on sunshine and helping clean up the air.

As access to EV charging in the community grows, SDG&E will continue to walk the talk when it comes to encouraging employees to drive EVs. SDG&E has more than 300 employees who are driving an electric vehicle and is aiming to be the first San Diego company to reach 500 employees EV drivers by 2020. SDG&E has also installed more than 150 EV charging station at its headquarters, more than any other single location in San Diego.

For more information, please visit sdge.com/ev.

Show Details

SDIAS will be held Thurs., Dec. 31 - Sun., Jan. 3. Show hours are 10 am – 6 pm, Thurs., 10 am – 9 pm, Fri. – Sat., and 10 am – 7 pm on Sun.

Admission:

Adults (13 and over): $12

Military (with ID): $9

Seniors (62 and over): $9

Children (7-12): $8

Children (1-6): free (when accompanied by an adult).

Children 12 and under are free on Ford Family Day, Sun. Jan. 3, when accompanied by a paid adult. For information on discount coupons or VIP e-tickets, visit SDAutoShow.com.

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Media Contacts:

Rohatynski/Harlow Public Relations

Amy Foley – 858 550 0080 /

Joe Rohatynski – 313 378 6570 /

Marc Harlow – 810 599 2558 /

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