Sept. 10: Celebrate National Drive Electric Week with Mote’s “Electrify the Island”
Electric vehicles and other eco-friendly technologies will “Electrify the Island” during the Sarasota-based kickoff event for the sixth annual National Drive Electric Week.
“Electrify the Island”, a free event, will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10, on the grounds of Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium on City Island, Sarasota.
Mote is a world-class marine science and education institution that launched a Sustainable Energy Initiative in 2012 to enhance the Lab’s environmentally sound practices including using solar power, electric car chargers and other eco-friendly technologies and practices to conserve energy, water and other natural resources.
Mote is also currently expanding its research infrastructure on Summerland Key, in the Florida Keys, with a new environmentally sustainable LEED-certified facility. The new facility will more than double Mote’s research and education space at the Summerland Key campus, which focuses on studying and restoring the ocean's "rainforests," coral reefs.
Electrify the Island in Sarasota will feature a plug-in electric vehicle (EV) expo, ride-and-drive sessions that allow visitors to test some of the sleekest EVs around.
The event will feature two forums free to the public at 11 a.m., a breakout session titled EV 101 and a 1 p.m. breakout session titled Charging Infrastructure. At noon, city and county officials will read proclamations honoring Electrify the Island and National Drive Electric Week.
Mote Aquarium admission is not required to attend Electrify the Island. However, it's a great day to visit: Mote's admission is reduced to $6 for Florida residents every Saturday in September 2016.
The 2016 Electrify the Island is made possible by the following sponsors: City of Sarasota, Sarasota County, Florida Power & Light Co., Brilliant Harvest, LLC, BMW of Sarasota and Gettel Nissan.
