Are EVs the future or the present?
July 15, 2020 – (By Scott Meske) – One thing I’ve found is that WATTS, Lignite Energy Council’s Tesla X, 
draws a crowd everywhere we take the royal blue electric vehicle, even in a pandemic.
Family Day Riverwalk was held in Bismarck’s Sertoma Park recently on a postcard perfect North Dakota summer day to give families a variety of activities to take in – including the most attractive vehicle in the park – WATTS! There are a LOT of young people in the Bismarck-Mandan area! I’ve never seen so many children of all ages with their parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles in one place. Now I know why we need more schools built in our area.
Among the vendor tents, food trucks, dance demonstrations and musical talent was WATTS, the show-stopping, door flapping, iconic, all electric Tesla X. While many people walked by, looking and wondering, it was the kids who grabbed their parents’ arms and squealed “hey look, a Tesla!” “Can we sit inside?”
The vast majority of onlookers and curious car enthusiasts had standard questions like,
“How long does it take to charge?”
“Where can I charge the car?”
“How far can you drive on one charge?”
“Didn’t I see some charging things over by TJ Maxx?”
“How does it really do in the winter?”
I love answering questions. I also love seeing the young people clamor and fawn all over the car. Because I fully predict it will be the kindergartners of today who will not only accept electric vehicle transportation, but also embrace and expect that technology as they grow up. It’s up to us to help put in the infrastructure that can make that happen.
We were visited by four different couples and families who worked in the coal industry. They expressed gratitude for the Lignite Energy Council’s efforts on behalf of the mines and plants and the industry. I was able to tell them that we had just been on a call with US Senator John Hoeven, and that there are many people working hard to keep the coal industry relevant and prosperous in North Dakota.
North Dakota is an “all of the above” energy state, and one of the very few that can legitimately claim that. Charging your electric vehicle (there are bicycles, too!) has never been more reliable or affordable. And if I read the faces of the young people right, we’ll need more power to quench their thirst for electric transportation on the road and powered up.
