By John Riedel
National Life employees as well as tenants on the Vermont campus got energized this week with a parking lot full of electric vehicles.
Plug In America, a non-profit advocating for electric vehicles, brought several cars and bikes to campus and for test drives.
Blue tents were stationed by the front door, while flags lined National Drive like a test track. Cars available for test drives included plug-in hybrids such as the Ford C-MAX Energi and the Ford Fusion Energi, along with the solely battery powered Ford Focus Electric. There was also a selection of Chevrolets for test-drives.
Both the C-Max and Fusion can run in an all-electric mode where only the battery is used, and a separate mode in which both gasoline and the battery are used. The Focus has a maximum distance of 115 miles on a single full charge.
The test track for these vehicles started at the top of National Life Drive and went down the hill from there. Once a car was chosen, employees hopped in with a Ford associate to hear that electric engine buzz and get a feel for driving green.
National Life already has four electric vehicle charging stations located in the Vermont campus parking lot, with plans to install more in the future. As part of our commitment to the environment, National Life is working to promote the use of electric vehicles among employees.
Electric vehicles are an important aspect of our corporate social responsibility, but that scope isn’t just limited to cars. FiFieldebikes, an electric bicycle company based in Hingham, Massachusetts, tabled at the event as well.
E-bikes are bicycles with a small electric motor attached to the pedal, allowing the rider to pedal independently or with assistance. The motor-provided assistance allows riders to go farther and is better for the environment than small gas motors.
Fifield provided many different styles for test rides, from all-terrain e-bikes, such as the Rogue wave, to e-bikes with traditional bicycle frames like the Bonfire. Throughout the day employees took to the parking lot, zipping around National Life’s front door in style.
There are eight different models to choose from. The bikes sell from as low as $1,499 and up to $6,599, depending on the model.
If you’re interested in using a traditional bicycle, we have loaner bikes available to sign out through the People Center.
