It’s Electric: The 13th Annual AltCar Expo & Conference at the Santa Monica Civic Lot!

It’s Electric: The 13th Annual AltCar Expo & Conference at the Santa Monica Civic Lot!  

By Kat Thomas, Edible Skinny

It's Electric; Boogie Woogie, Woogie!
-- Electric Slide
Nikola Tesla would be buzzing!  This Friday marks the start of the 13th Annual AltCar Expo & Conference at the Santa Monica Civic Lot!  The AltCar Expo brings almost every make and model of alternative fuel vehicles to one place so visitors can shop, test drive, compare and learn about future technology, today!

When the AltCar Expo started in Santa Monica is 2005, alternative fuel vehicles seemed like a fading dream…  With everyone gaga for their gas guzzling Hummer, the idea of driving an electric car seemed inconceivable to most Americans… but these days plugs are definitely here to stay with Tesla’s Model 3 sliding into the best-selling midsize premium sedan, electric or not.

The future is elementary!  Electric vehicles cost less to drive to standard gasoline cars and emit less global warming pollution (something we all need to know, but still need to be reminded of when shopping for a car).  69% of US drivers drive less than 60 miles on weekdays, making them perfect EV candidates.  Yet, less than 1% of US households currently have an electric vehicle (EV) although 42% of US households have the necessary elements required for an EV vehicle (parking and a plug).  Yearly cost to fuel  of a battery-electric vehicle averages to $421 while a gasoline-only car averages around $1,500.

For those looking to make the switch and pocket that $1,100 each year, the 2018 AltCar Expo offers a look at the most extensive array of new and current battery electric, fuel-cell electric, plug-in hybrid and hybrid electric vehicles for consumers. The lineup of exhibitors includes the newest versions of the Honda Clarity, Nissan Leaf, Toyota Mirai, Toyota Prius Prime PHEV and many more. Amongst all of these great debuts, Audi will also be making their Southern California debut of their new alternative technology vehicle.

Another one of the cars AltCar will be unveiling is Electra Mechannica’s new single passenger EV, SOLO, who will be opening a Los Angeles dealership the same week as the AltCar Expo.  The Vancouver, by way of Itay, Electra Mechannica is rolling out this single passenger 3-wheeled car specifically for the LA commuter as 83% of people in the country’s second largest city drive alone to and from work.

“It’s quite impressive,” notes John Mahoney of Electra Mechannica.  “The SOLO can go on a freeway, does speeds up to 85 miles per hour, and has a 100 mile range.”  With a price point of $15,888, the car is on point with purchasing a Vespa (but with a roof and space to put groceries).  Oh and time saving bonus!!!  The car does qualify as a motorcycle (though you don’t need a different license) so it can drive in the HOV lane for a faster (unrestricted commute).  The SOLO has all the classic bells and whistles from Bluetooth technology to seat warmers (the one thing this Canadian company will be adding to this list amenities in the next year is air conditioning for the SoCal climate!)

SOLO cars will start arriving this month at their Studio City showroom.   They are expecting to release 5,000 cars their first year of production, with having 70,000 cars rolled out in the next 3 years.  And people, and businesses, are taking notice.  “At the moment SOLO is partnering with 7-11,” states Mahoney, “but we are also talking various other local business who are looking for an economic fleet of delivery vehicles, from pizza to pharmaceuticals.”

The 13th Annual AltCar Expo & Conference is scheduled for Friday, October 12th and Saturday, October 13, 2018 at the Santa Monica Civic Lot and East Wing, 1855 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA. The two-day event is free to attend.  For more information visit:
http://www.altcarexposocal.com

Kat Thomas is the Editor in Chief of Edible Skinny, a site dedicated to making your life postcard worthy. She is also the CEO of the creative media company This Way Adventures. You can find more about both brands at http://www.thiswayadventures.com