Originally published at https://www.escondido.org on June 2022.
From being home to the premier auto park in San Diego County, to highlighting trends in transportation at the Green Transpo Expo, the auto industry in Escondido is championing the shift toward alternative energy solutions.
California leads the country with the most zero-emission vehicles sold in the United States. The state has surpassed 1 million plug-in electric cars, pickup trucks, SUVs and motorcycles sold in California, according to state records. That’s more than the total sales of the next 10 states combined. In fact, Californians own 10% of the nation’s cars and over 40% of all zero-emission cars in the country.
Electric Vehicles are Driving the Future
Since the late 1970s, people have come to Escondido to purchase new and used cars at Escondido Auto Park.
Escondido Auto Park maintains 12 dealerships including: Acura of Escondido, Audi of Escondido, BMW Mini of Escondido, Gosch Ford Escondido, Honda of Escondido, Jack Powell Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, Mazda of Escondido, Mossy Nissan, Mossy Volkswagen Mitsubishi, North County Cadillac Buick GMC, North County Kia and Quality Chevrolet. Additionally, Carvana Escondido, Lexus Escondido and Mercedes-Benz of Escondido line Interstate 15 nearby.
As the demand for electric vehicles grows, nearly all of the dealerships at Escondido Auto Park have electric and hybrid options in their fleets and are adding more alternative energy vehicles each year.
Jack Powell Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram offers several alternative energy vehicles at its dealership. Jasen Powell, who runs his family’s business, said many American models are shifting to electric vehicles.
“Chrysler brand is going to be all electric by 2028,” he said. “That’s going to be our flagship electric brand.”
He added that Amazon has partnered with Ram to develop new electric delivery trucks.
The demand for these products have increased as gas prices have gone up, Powell said. Many lines have a waiting list for their electric and hybrid models. Nearly all the brands Powell sells will have electric and hybrid options in the next year.
While consumers are looking to save gas, Powell said some are still nervous about going all-electric.
“It can be daunting for many customers concerned with range anxiety and charging logistics,” said Powell, who added that hybrid vehicles can be appealing to customers with these concerns.
Green Transpo Expo attendees listen to a presentation on the value of electric vehicles.
Trends in Alternative Energy Transportation
The City of Escondido has put a spotlight on the benefits of zero-emission and alternative energy solutions.
In April, the Greater Escondido Chamber of Commerce hosted its inaugural Green Transpo Expo at the Westfield North County Mall in Escondido. The event highlighted trends in alternative energy transportation and home energy resources. It brought experts and speakers to audiences interested in learning more about alternative energy equipment such as electric cars, bikes, buses and alternative fuels, as well as home solar and battery storage.
Chamber members and organizers at the inaugural ribbon-cutting event.
An estimated 5,000 people attended the event.
“It was a great start to what is going to be an annual event,” said James Rowten, President and CEO of the Greater Escondido Chamber of Commerce.
Rowten said it was the perfect event for the Chamber to host because the organization promotes commercial business and new industries. He added that when looking at the shift toward alternative fuels in businesses and homes, Escondido is the ideal place to host this type of event.
“Escondido’s location surrounds the 15 freeway and it's a freeway of commerce,” said Rowten, referring to the fact that Interstate 15 is a corridor for transport from eastern states and Mexico. He noted that there are many changes coming in alternative fuels and energy resources and that Escondido is well-positioned for that change.
“There’s a groundswell of change coming, why wouldn’t we want to be a part of that,” he said.
Green Transpo Expo attendees learn about alternative fuel vehicles that are used around town.
Presentations took place both inside and outside the mall, giving guests the opportunity to learn from speakers, find vendors, and participate in demos and presentations.
Inside the mall, Audi of Escondido displayed an e-tron GT and BMW introduced its new i-4. Attendees got an opportunity to sit inside the cars and learn more about the design and engineering of electric vehicles. Outside the mall, EDCO and Escondido Union High School District brought examples of their alternative energy fleet for attendees to view. EDCO has been at the forefront of using near zero natural gas vehicles for years and continue to be the best in integrated waste and recycling needs for California communities.
Some of the sponsors included SDG&E, Alive Solar and Roofing, RAD Power Bikes, Palomar Health, Audi Escondido, Gosch Escondido and The Super Dentists. Rad Power Bikes donated an electric bike giveaway.
The event included presentations from SDG&E, the Electric Vehicle Association of San Diego, and Alive Solar and Roofing, an Escondido-based solar and roofing company.
As consumers look for eco-friendly options and move toward greener lifestyles, many want to make changes at home. Alive Solar was at the event to showcase the many options they have available for both commercial buildings and residential structures, including solar roofing and battery storage.
A district electric bus on display at the Green Transpo Expo.
“The City of Escondido is on the forefront when it comes to clean energy solutions,” said Jennifer Schoeneck, Deputy Director of Economic Development. “In the fall, the Escondido Union High School District added six electric buses to its fleet, replacing diesel-powered buses. This makes 30% of their fleet electric, putting them ahead of the order to have 60% of their transport electric by 2040. The City will continue to support paths that lead to cleaner energy resources throughout our community.”
Creating a Greener State
Resources provided by the City and community-sponsored events such as the Green Transpo Expo are necessary to help inform communities regarding changes in play throughout the state.
Regarding clean energy changes, state leaders are working on Advanced Clean Cars II, a measure that would increase the sale of electric and zero-emission vehicles by 35% in the next four years. The measure would also prohibit the sale of new gas vehicles by 2035.
The measure is being considered to help decrease emissions caused by traditional-fueled vehicles, which account for 41% of the state's greenhouse gas emissions, according to the California Air Resources Board (CARB).
As fuel costs continue to rise and technology improves, the once cost-prohibitive electric car’s affordability is now comparable to a traditional gas automobile.
CARB estimates predict the cost of an electric vehicle will be comparable to traditional fueled-engines such as gas and diesel by 2025. The U.S. Department of Energy has created a vehicle cost calculator that allows new car buyers to compare the costs of fuel-burning cars versus electric cars in their buying process. Additionally, new electric car vehicle buyers can still apply for tax incentives and rebates through the MAAC Electric Vehicle Access Program.
Rowten understands helping consumers navigate what is available and how to convert their lifestyles to alternative energies is a bit of a learning curve. He hopes events such as the Green Transp Expo will give consumers the information they need to help make informed decisions and prepare them for new regulations that will eventually be required for everyone.
Rowten and the Chamber are preparing for next year’s event which will again take place at the Westfield Mall. He hopes to expand the expo and eventually make it a two- or three-day event that will host more education presentations, outreach events and workshops.