Search Projects

Through the Northwest Electric Showcase Project, Forth aimed to double the plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) adoption rates in the Pacific Northwest by 2019 through physical, ‘pop up,’ and virtual online PEV showcases. These showcases were a brand-neutral and sales-free environment that featured ride and drive opportunities which aimed to significantly increase PEV sales. Forth acquired eight different EV models that were used for the ride and drives.

The largest showcase was the semi-permanent “Go Forth Electric Showcase” room in downtown Portland. This room displayed multiple PEV charging stations to view and handle, interactive displays and surveys, educational materials, and the ability to test drive a PEV through a ride and drive experience. Forth also partnered with local organizations to host over 60 mobile showcases at workplaces and community events throughout Oregon and Washington. As of 2019, Forth facilitated over 1,600 test drives and hosted over 6,00 visitors to their showcases.

The objective of the project is to deeply engage the community in identifying how transportation electrification can help meet community transportation needs and reduce cost and pollution burdens for residents of Saint Paul’s East Side. The project will engage underserved communities to discuss how investments in electric vehicle (EV) chargers can benefit the community. The project will engage and work with up to four community organizations to identify potential sites and install 10 new EV charging hubs with 40 Level 2 charge ports in the public right of way. Two series of workshops will be held to evaluate whether the EV chargers provide the anticipated benefits.

In 2014, working with the Arkansas Clean Cities coalition, Pea Ridge National Military Park replaced a gasoline pickup truck with a dedicated propane truck. The park also developed a Green Team to educate staff, visitors, and students on sustainability and conservation. An idle-reduction education and outreach initiative was part of the project as well.

The Pennsylvania Partnership for Promoting Natural Gas Vehicles project provided education and outreach to municipal and school district decision makers to encourage the procurement and retrofitting of natural gas-fueled school buses and solid waste collection vehicles and developed a strategic plan for natural gas vehicle and infrastructure inspection training.

The Penske Truck Leasing Alternative Fuel Vehicle (AFV) Demonstration and Enhanced Driver Experience Project will provide heavy duty compressed natural gas vehicles to new drivers and fleets via Penske's large existing service market for a 1-3 month period. The project also will assess the need for medium-duty propane and hybrid-electric vehicles. Penske will work closely with the fleets involved to optimize their experience, troubleshoot their questions, and collect data to highlight results. The project lead will use these experiences to develop an AFV marketing plan that can target optimal fleets and regions, reduce AFV rental costs, provide comprehensive technical support for the rental term, and measure progress in fleet acceptance and integration of AFVs into fleets' everyday operations.

Set partly within the Painted Desert of northeastern Arizona, Petrified Forest National Park offers glimpses of the world's largest concentration of petrified wood, fossils, and a fragile grassland ecosystem. Working with Tucson Clean Cities Coalition (TCC) in 2015, the park replaced all gasoline-fueled vehicles within its Visitor Services fleet and installed two publicly available electric vehicle charging stations in the park. It also worked with TCC to launch an extensive education and outreach effort designed to educate park visitors, tour bus drivers, and park staff about how to eliminate unnecessary engine idling, reduce fuel consumption, and improve local air quality. The old vehicles were replaced with one plug‐in electric vehicle and one hybrid electric vehicle. The electric vehicle supply equipment included a DC Fast Charger with Level 2 capabilities located at the park's north visitor center.

Working with the Land of Enchantment Clean Cities coalition in 2014, Petroglyph National Monument replaced three gasoline vehicles with all-electric, plug-in hybrid electric, and hybrid electric vehicles. The monument also installed two electric vehicle charging stations with one available to the public. An idle-reduction education and outreach initiative was part of the project as well.

In partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy, the Department of Solid Waste Services (SWS) for the Municipality of Anchorage is implementing a pilot demonstration of two heavy-duty electric refuse trucks and an electric box truck. In addition, SWS will partner with the Alaska Energy Authority and eCamion, Inc., to install and test a battery-tied fast charging station that will charge both refuse trucks while mitigating costly demand charges.

For more information on this project, check the Technology Integration 2021 Annual Report or the 2022 Annual Merit Review presentation and the 2023 Annual Merit Review presentation.

In 2013 through its partnership with Zion National Park, Utah Clean Cities worked with park officials to expand Zion’s electric vehicle initiative to neighboring Pipe Spring National Monument. Pipe Spring installed one electric vehicle charging station and acquired one plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. The project is helping to expand the availability of electric vehicle charging stations throughout National Park Service units in the Southern Utah region. The project also included an idle-reduction education and outreach initiative.

The Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) Demonstration Program and Social Media Campaign is an innovative social media campaign and extended drive program designed to stimulate customer awareness and demand for PHEVs by placing vehicles in the hands of social media influencers. The project will conduct extended test drives with selected PHEV ambassadors in the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) states. During these test drives, the PHEV ambassadors will share and document their experiences with friends and followers through their blogs, Facebook and Twitter accounts, photos and YouTube videos to create online buzz around these vehicles.