Invitation: Become Model S "Ambassadors" in Your Community

[Larry Chanin]

I really appreciate Felix’s advocacy efforts along with such EV pioneers as Chad, Tom and others.
Last night I sent a mailing to our club membership recommending that they check out the site. I see that we are starting to make a presence on the Florida locator map.

Larry
http://drivingelectric.org/users/larryc

 

[Quibbs]

Thanks for all the great comments, and for the support...as of now, 37 Model S drivers have signed up (of whom 15 have a Roadster too) from 16 states. It's a great start. I'm still hoping to hear from a few people who will see launching the Ambassador program as an entrepreneurial challenge!

I read a post from a fellow restauranteur in an adjoining state who installed a charger for his car and his EV customers. I decided to do the same. Currently we are investigating the viability of putting solar panels on top of our store to power a charger. To me, that would truly be the holy grail of energy independence. Even if the solar panels aren't viable for some reason, I am still planning on putting a charger at the store for EV users. If others do the same can you imagine how much this would help speed up the adoption of electric cars like the model S? This would be a sorely needed charging option for people in NC and SC. It also would prove to be a good PR move for EVs as I am across the street from our State Capital and many members of the legislature and the upper powers in the state government eat at our place regularly.
I will post more when we start the installs.

 

[KKlabunde]

I just sent the following email to the CEO of our electric company. He responded immediately with a very high interest level, and plans to gather key leaders at their company and the board of directors for a visit with my car. Here is the email in case anyone wants to use the text to reach out to their centers of influence...

Good morning, [firstname].

This last week, [elec. co.] became the sole source of energy for my transportation needs when the American-made all-electric Tesla Model S car we reserved a couple years ago arrived. Given your role as a leader in Indiana's electric future, I thought you and a few of the other decision makers at [elec. co.] might be interested in seeing and experiencing [elec. co.]-powered transportation. I drive right by your facility on my way to and from the office, and would be happy to stop by to show your team the Tesla Model S and give you and a few others a ride in the car.

Let me know if this interests you, and we'll find a time that works for both of us.

 

[Robert.Boston]

I just sent the following email to the CEO of our electric company. He responded immediately with a very high interest level, and plans to gather key leaders at their company and the board of directors for a visit with my car.

That's excellent! This is Whitewater Valley Rural Electric, yes? I can't imagine getting quite such an enthusiastic reaction at any of the large investor-owned utilities (e.g. Duke).

 

[KKlabunde]

It was Rush-Shelby Energy. I plan to attempt the same email with Indianapolis Power & Light in a few weeks -- maybe after a successful RSE event. Indianapolis Power has supplied all the garage chargers at my office downtown, so that gives me a reason to reach out to them too.

 

[Robert.Boston]

Good idea, KKlabunde. FYI, Rush-Shelby is in the same "family" as Whitewater Valley, so perhaps you could leverage success with Rush-Shelby eastward to Whitewater Valley. IPL is owned by AES, the same company that owns Dayton Power & Light. Again, local success can be exported.

 

[EdA]

edotesla | DrivingElectric

 

[KKlabunde]

Good idea, KKlabunde. FYI, Rush-Shelby is in the same "family" as Whitewater Valley, so perhaps you could leverage success with Rush-Shelby eastward to Whitewater Valley. IPL is owned by AES, the same company that owns Dayton Power & Light. Again, local success can be exported.

Thanks for the tie-ins with other companies. I'll work outward from RSE after that event.

 

[DrTaras]

Joined as well, guess which screen name

u sign up under DrTaras also? :wink:

 

[felixkramer]

I just sent the following email to the CEO of our electric company. He responded immediately with a very high interest level, and plans to gather key leaders at their company and the board of directors for a visit with my car. Here is the email in case anyone wants to use the text to reach out to their centers of influence...

I loved your idea of contacting the CEO of your local utility. (By the way, some utilities still make more money when they sell more electricity. Others, under what's called "de-coupling" put in effect by state public utilities regulations, are incentivized to help their customers save electricity. Both types for different reasons have every reason to be pro-electric vehicle.)

For others to tweak and use, I took a stab at working from your invitation to develop a more general one that could be sent to any business or civic leader. This is what the Ambassador project will develop and refine.

(By the way, over 50 Tesla Model S drivers have now signed up at DrivingElectric, and we hope soon to be able to get started putting together a team to begin work on this project.)


Good morning, [firstname lastname]

I've lived in [community name] for [x years] and have owned cars that have done the job. I certainly never wanted to go out of my way to tell other people about them.

That changed for me recently when the all-electric Tesla Model S car we reserved a couple of years ago arrived. I now think differently about transportation. This car was designed and built in the U.S.A. It's the best car and most advanced technology I've ever enjoyed. And others agree! It's won awards far and wide, including Motor Trend's 2013 Car of the Year, for the first time to an electric car and for the first time from a unanimous jury.

I'm giving test drives to my neighbors, colleagues and community leaders, because I'm so excited and encouraged about what this car says about American ingenuity and our futures. I thought you and your colleagues at might be interested in seeing and experiencing the Tesla Model S. I would be happy to stop and give you and a few others a ride in the car.

Let me know if this interests you, and we'll find a time that works for both of us.

 

[felixkramer]

First Model S driver to sign up at Getaround (car-sharing service), making their car available for $20/hour -- I posted a comment at
http://green.autoblog.com/2013/03/04/drive-a-tesla-model-s-for-just-20-an-hour/
This is great news; Getaround currently operates in parts of California, Portland, Austin, and Chicago, but will be expanding. The latest version of the Getaround app now enables users to filter their searches to find electric vehicles!
People around the country who want to try a Model S can find over 50 of them signed up at DrivingElectric.org the new website co-sponsored by Plug In America, the Electric Auto Association, and CalCars to connect EV-curious people for questions, test rides, and, best of all, test drives.
We will soon be working with our hundreds of EV drivers to get them to sign up with Getaround (and RelayRides, which is national, but doesn't have insurance levels that cover the Model S) to remove the worry factor out of EV drivers letting others try out their cars for a few hours or days.