On Saturday evening, September 27th, 2008 Who Killed the Electric Car Director Chris Paine graciously hosted Plug In America's very first fundraiser party at his PV+EV residence in Culver City, CA immediately following the Santa Monica 2008 AltCarExpo. The completely sold out (250 guest) party was a big success and included two superb electric vehicle rockstars - GM's newly released preproduction prototype Chevy Volt and a silver Tesla Roadster. Due to parking limitations valet parking was provided, and guests were treated to EV shuttling to and from the party courtesy of numerous Toyota RAV4-EVs and a couple of very quick and spacious AC Propulsion eBoxes. Chris Paine's film crew was in attendance filming the EVent for possible inclusion in his next documentary Revenge of the Electric Car.
The speeches were the real highlight of the evening and were delivered via rooftop overlooking the crowd packed in poolside around the Chevy Volt and Tesla Roadster. Host Chris Paine began the speeches discussing his recent trip to Detroit for the preproduction GM Chevy Volt unveiling and how surreal it was to have the Chevy Volt parked in his backyard for this memorable party. Chelsea Sexton followed with another eloquent summary of Plug In America's humble grassroots beginnings. Plug In America's president Linda Nicholes and board member Alexandra Paul gave a very unexpected and surprise thank you to two dedicated PIA volunteers (watch the video below to learn more). Reknown automotive journalist Dan Neil of the LA Times followed with a rave review of the GM Chevy Volt in his classic delivery style. And lastly, James Woolsey summarized the vital national security requirement for our nation to embrace, develop, and deploy plug-in electric vehicles. The speeches lasted 25 minutes and can be viewed in the Plug In America Fundraiser Party video below.
The party also featured a silent auction with many green and EV related items including a Duffy Electric Boat rental, a 2009 Zero X Electric Motorcycle, and a beautiful blue 2008 Vectrix Electric Maxi-Scooter (from Delamo Motorsports in Redondo Beach). Click here to see my Vectrix Electric Maxi-Scooter coverage from March 2007. Thanks go out to Plug In America Managing Director Jeanne Trombly, event organizer Nicole Landers, sustainability champion and solar chef extraordinaire Cathy Lam, and all the other volunteers who made Plug In America's first fundraiser party a success!
I met many new energized plug-in EV enthusiasts and had a great time attending Plug In America's party of the year with my friend Holden. The time to go plug-in EV/PHEV has never been better or more urgent than now!
Video: 2008.09.27 Plug In America Fundraiser Party
(Select your preferred viewing format below)
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| Valet of the Dolls | Toyota RAV4-EV guest shuttle regening down the hill. | |
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| One of several EV shuttling volunteers Mike Kane. | MarvyMarv's "GAS SUX" Toyota RAV4-EV. | Converted plug-in Electric Vehicle Geo Metro and Toyota RAV4-EV in the distance. |
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| Plug In America sign - you have arrived! | Party check-in desk. | Holden shows his enthusiasm for Reverend Gadget's latest EV conversion, a classic Porsche Speedster by his Left Coast Electric conversion company. |
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| No emissions! | Other than for the lack of an exhaust pipe, there are no indications on the interior or exterior that this is an EV. A very stealthy EV conversion indeed. | I've never previously seen such a fancy restroom trailer like this one from Royal Restrooms. |
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| Chris has 3 electric vehicle charge stations in his garage. This is his TAL (Toyota Auto Loom - the branch of Toyota that manufactures the chargers) MagneCharge SPI (Small Paddle Inductive) EV charger used for his Toyota RAV4-EV. | Here is Chris' newly installed Tesla High Power Connector 70amp capable conductive charge station for charging his Tesla Roadster EV. | While Tesla Motors created their own 70amp charging standard out of necessity for their EV Roadster, these charge stations are just an interim solution. GM became interested due to their Chevy Volt program and along with Tesla Motors have helped define the requirements of the new SAE J1772 70amp charge standard that will be finalized in April 2009. |
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| An early 1990s Pacific Utility Products EV charge station pedestal with GFI breaker protected NEMA14-50R and NEMA5-20R outlets originally deployed in numbers by SCAQMD. You can see SCAQMD's Solar Chargeport populated with dozens of these charge station pedestals here. | Party courtyard. | Plug In America silent auction table. |
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Chris is currently installing a residential rooftop Mitsubishi photovoltaic solar system. |
Super plug-in EV enthusiast Marvin Campbell chats with GM's Dave Barthmuss about the plug-in Chevy Volt REV (Range Extending Vehicle). | |
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| Great rear styling. | Excellent side styling. | |
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| Holden, Forbes, and Marvin. | Great front styling. | Holden points to the Volt. |
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| Stefano displays enthusiasm for the amazing Chevy Volt. Finally a 100% electric drive (range extending) plug-in series hybrid that makes sense. | Volt repositioning. Note the central rear backup light. | |
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| Marvin cooking up some of his "Hot Garlic Teryaki" turkey fixin's. | Revenge of the Electric Car documentary filming permission notice. | |
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| Chevy Volt rear bucket seating arrangement showing central battery tunnel. | Chevy Volt 120VAC 15amp charge cord. | |
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| Volt charge plug. | If GM does regenerative braking correctly you shouldn't see any significant brake pad/disc wear. | |
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| Volt emblem servo-operates to uncover the low amperage 120VAC charge port. | Party fixin's by sustainability champion and solar chef extraordinaire Cathy Lam starting to make their appearance. | |
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| GMnext | Chevy Volt driver's side. | |
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| Clean interior Apple inspired design. GM - Please make GPS navigation standard given that the center display will be installed regardless. There is no excuse not to have GPS in a 2010 vehicle. | ||
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| Plug In America's stellar volunteer Colby Trudeau who would much prefer a plug-in Chevy Volt over his gasoline only plug-less Honda Civic Hybrid. | Powered by Chevrolet. Some have commented on the front faux-grill being useless. I can see the desire to keep the Chevy front end "look" and possibly the faux-grill helps keep the front looking good being a sacrifical "paint chip" rock deflector. Ideally any new vehicle would have 3M Scotchguard's Paint Protection Film (clearbra) applied on all of its vulnerable painted surfaces. Star Shield Armor is one of the leading automotive installers of this 0.008" thick clear polyurethane film. | Awesome looking Chevy Volt headlights and turn markers. |
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| One will want to apply 3M's 0.040" clear headlight protection film to keep these lenses looking their best. Headlight protection film available from XPEL. | ||
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| Chevy Volt lust... | More Volt manuevering. | |
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| Drive on electricity, not gasoline! | Plug In America founder Paul Scott with the Chevy Volt. | |
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| Robin is ready to swap her plug-less gasoline only Prius for the plug-in Chevy Volt! | Plug In America silent auction tables. | Poolside beverage bar. |
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| Sweet Vectrix Electric Maxi-Scooters. | Vectrix - Please produce the phenomenal Vectrix Robrady rMoto! | Zero Motorcycles truck arrives. |
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| RAV4-EV valet shuttling. | ||
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| A silver Tesla Roadster arrives poolside. | ||
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| 6:04 PM - the party grows. | ||
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| Roofcam™ | Reverend Gadget manuevers his electric Porsche Speedster conversion closer to the party. | |
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| No one fell into the pool! | ||
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| Mmmmm...Tesla... | Chevy Volt and Tesla Roadster meet face to face for the first time. | Paul and Zan rode the silent auction Vectrix Electric Maxi-Scooter through Chris's house (under construction). |
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| Paul Scott showing a 2 wheel EV grin! | Alexandra, Al, and Susan. | Silent auction Vectrix Electric Maxi-Scooter and Zero X Motorcycle. |
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| Plug-In EV talk everywhere. | Jeremy with Tesla Motors being interviewed. | |
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| Hot Wheels Tesla Roadster toys! | GM Chevy Volt's Dave Barthmuss, James Woolsey, Richard Lowenthal, and Mike Harrigan. | |
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| Andrew and Milton Grin, Alexandra Paul, and Linda Nicholes. | CalCars' Felix Kramer interviews former CIA director James Woolsey. | |
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| Tesla Roadster charging via a mobile charging kit. | Tesla Roadster interior. | |
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| Tesla Mobile Charging communications box. | ||
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| Gadget's Left Coast Electric converted Porsche Speedster. | ||
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| EVangelist extraodinaire Chelsea Sexton and Alex Major. | Plug In America | |
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| Gathering in advance of the rooftop delivered speeches. | ||
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| Plug In America fundraiser party "money shot". | ||
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| Chris Paine addresses the crowd at 7:30 PM. | Chelsea Sexton addresses the crowd at 7:35 PM. | |
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| Linda Nicholes and Alexandra Paul deliver their heart felt thanks to PIA volunteers. | ||
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| James Woolsey voices his support for plug-ins. | Stefano squared! Stefano Durdic (Executive Producer for Chris Paine's Revenge of the Electric Car) and Stefano Paris. The first Stefano I've ever met stateside! | Robin, Andrew, and Alexandra. |
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| Colby and Linda | Alexandra, Stefano, and Linda. | Stefano's GGFs (Green Girl Friends - partners in all things green) |
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| Alexandra, Colby, Linda, and Stefano. | Robin and Linda | |
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| Alexandra and Patrick | Alexandra Paul and Zero Motorcycles' TJ Aguirre | AutoblogGreen's Sebastian Blanco, Plug In America founder Zan Dubin Scott, and Revenge of the Electric Car Producer P.G. Morgan. |
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| CalCars' Felix Kramer and Linda Nicholes are all smiles as they test out the GM Chevy Volt interior. | Who Killed the Electric Car Director Chris Paine and Stefano Paris. | |
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| Andrew and Chris | Robin and ChrisAnn | Robin and Stefano |
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| Jill, Patrick, Holden, Stefano, Brian, and Sue. | Linda and Howard | Linda, Robin, and Howard. |
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| Linda and Stefano | Chevy Volt on the move... | |
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| Electrically driving out of the party silently to its transport semi. | Awaiting transport positioning. | |
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| Impressive GM Chevy Volt transport semi. | ||
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| Careful Chevy Volt loading operations. | ||
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| Bye bye Chevy Volt. Please return to dealer showrooms soon. We need you now! | ||
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| Classic Chevrolet Camaro converted to electric by Gadget's Left Coast Electric. | ||
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| Camaro battery pack. | Electrorides ZeroTruck™ 100% electric delivery truck. | |
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| Electrorides brought along a Hybrid Technology converted MINI Cooper. | ||
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| One of two AC Propulsion eBoxes that provided valet guest shuttling. | Plug In America board members Heather Bernikoff and Dave Raboy. | |
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| Kelli and Richard Kelly (PIA board member). | Colby, Linda, Ron Freund, and Mike Kane. | |
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| PV+EV pioneers Paul and Zan. | Party winds down at 10 PM. | 2nd AC Propulsion eBox valet shuttle rocket. |
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| Orange Trim AC Propulsion eBox sipping some amps. | AC Propulsion team Jeremy, Joshua, Owen, and Jocelyn. | Party DJ |
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| PIA board members Jeanne Trombly, Jay Friedland, and Marc Geller. | Stefano, Robin, and Chris. | |
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| Vectrix Electric Maxi-Scooter from Delamo Motorsports Redondo Beach, CA. |
Plug In America Fundraiser Party Invitation
TinyURL-like redirect link to this "Plug In America Fundraiser Party" page:
http://www.stefanoparis.com/redirect/PIAfundraiserParty.html
Related Plug In America Fundraiser Party coverage:
Related Links:
Stef's Related EV Coverage: