OEC Expands Electric Vehicle Resources, Launches Video Series

You might have noticed OEC's Autumn McMahon, manager of member relations, or Daniel Lofland, energy efficiency solutions specialist, cruising around in a small-but-mighty electric vehicle (EV). It's hard to miss being fully wrapped in OEC's logo and signature green. Those who have had the opportunity to ride in or drive it have been pleasantly surprised by its responsiveness, space and range.

"While it's a fun car to drive around, we purchased it because we believe EVs are the future of transportation," said McMahon.

As our members' trusted energy advisor, we thought who better to put this new technology to the test to help our members decide if it's the right car for them?

McMahon and Lofland have used their EV experiences to help educate not only OEC's members, but the general public on the the pros and cons of owning an EV. You can find them on social media in the "Deck My Ride" and "EV Moments" video series, where they test myths about EVs and ride along with others as they experience an EV for the first time. You can also read more about Lofland's EV experiences at www. okcoop.org/EV.

Did you know Oklahoma ranks number one among states to own an EV? MyEV.com said this is because "Oklahoma residents enjoy low electricity rates, a high ratio of charging stations to residents and the highest EV sales boost over the past year at 162.7 percent."

Because of the impending "EV boom" on the horizon, OEC has taken proactive steps for members looking to make the jump from combustionengine to EV.

"We've had about 40 members on an EV pilot rate for the majority of 2019," said Lofland. "It's been so successful, OEC's board of trustees decided to continue it into 2020. Essentially, members can charge their EVs overnight at a half-price kilowatt-hour rate."

EV members may also be eligible for a $200 rebate for their at-home charging station.

"What we are attempting to do is ease any concerns our members might have about EVs," said McMahon. "We're also careful to point out the cons because an EV might not be right for everyone. What we do know is there are a lot of myths surrounding EVs, and we want to test those ourselves and show our members all the good, and potentially the not-so-good, features of an EV."

Visit www.okcoop.org/EV as we continue to expand our EV resources.