Over the past several months, a little blue 2015 Fiat500e has been making the rounds at public events around the Treasure Valley, impressing people with its sleek look and educating folks about the benefits of driving electric. In the driver’s seat is Radio Boise, a nonprofit community radio station transmitting from downtown Boise on 89.9 & 93.5 fm.
Radio Boise’s mission is to provide quality local programming for the wide range of people and communities in the Treasure Valley and surrounding areas who are not satisfied by existing media outlets. Driving the Fiat 500e has been part of their Go Farther Electric Vehicle Raffle, a fundraising and community outreach campaign leading up to the raffling off of the car at their December 1st Practice New Year’s Eve Party.
When we asked Jessica Evett, General Manager, how they came to the decision to raffle off an electric vehicle, she responded that “that was just something that fits in line with Radio Boise’s beliefs.”
“When we first started brainstorming ideas for adding a major new fundraising element to bolster our semi-annual pledge drives and other forms of support, the idea of an electric vehicle raffle clearly resonated with our staff and volunteers and generated excitement. We see it as an opportunity to simultaneously connect with a new base of people that are unfamiliar with community radio and electric vehicles, yet might be interested in learning more about both.”
Radio Boise has a total of 5,000 tickets for sale at $25 each, which Jessica says they will use use in part to expand the station's capacity to engage community members with the creation of local public affairs and audio storytelling that provides an alternative to what's offered through corporate owned media outlets.
“The Treasure Valley is changing rapidly along with the rest of the world. Authentic voices are critical to defining our sense of place since they challenge us to consider how someone else's life relates to our own, and we have to challenge ourselves to listen right now and act with informed perspectives. Engaging volunteers interested in contributing their perspective requires time and capacity to create content that generates internal and external conversations, and to continue to do that we rely on financial support from those who believe in positive change.”
So staff and volunteers have been all over this summer and fall, raising funds for Radio Boise by selling tickets to win the Fiat 500E. Along the way they have answered a lot of questions from a curious public.
The most common questions people ask are how far the car goes (Combined MPG: 116), how to charge at home (use a regular outlet and car charger), and where do they sell this type of car in Idaho. Jessica told us the Go Farther Electric Vehicle Raffle has prompted a lot of education about electric vehicles.
“Electric vehicles are new to the whole staff and volunteers, so we have been learning more throughout the process and are tapping into resources that are present in our community. Collectively we have come to the conclusion that electric vehicles make sense for a growing number of people in the Treasure Valley. The Fiat itself is really fun to drive, is a good fit for most daily commutes, and this technology is important to build towards a cleaner transportation future.”
The Sierra Club was excited to have Radio Boise at our National Drive Electric Week event in Boise with the Fiat 500e back in September, and we are so thrilled to see more Boise area folks educated about the clean air, cost saving and environmental benefits of electric vehicles.
Radio Boise’s work is a small part of the major movement around electric vehicles throughout the country. In the last week alone we saw several developments that will intensify the transition to clean, electric transportation:
Automotive giant General Motors announced it is working towards an all-electric future and will have more than 20 all electric models by 2023.
The Volkswagen Settlement Environmental Mitigation Trust was approved, starting the clock for states to apply for the collective $2.7 billion that will be used for clean transportation programs. $17 million are coming to Idaho, learn more here!
Several western states signed a memorandum of understanding for a Regional Electric Vehicle Plan for the West that will connect 5,000 miles of interstates with EV charging
The future for electric vehicles is more promising than ever and the time to join is now. Join the Sierra Club in asking for increased investments in Idaho’s clean transpiration.
Follow the links to learn more about Radio Boise, the Go Farther Electric Vehicle Raffle or stop by Radio Boise during business to check out the studio and buy your ticket. Radio Boise's Fall Radiothon pledge drive will be taking place from October 11th-20th, which is a great time to stop by their studio at 1020 West Main Street, Suite 50 and meet the people behind the microphone.