Virginia Clean Cities Visits Virginia Tech

As an EcoCAR 2 team, we do a lot of community events, influencer outreach and youth sustainability education. We would never be able to do this without the help from platinum-level sponsor Virginia Clean Cities coalition. This past Friday, Nov. 15, we met with a few representatives from VCC and set gears in motion for Year 3.

VCC executive director Alleyn Harned and VCC intern Brandon Walraven came down from their Harrisonburg, Va. office to visit our own Virginia Tech Ware Lab. We gave them a quick tour of the lab and a hands-on look at the work we’ve been doing with Mary the Malibu.

"It was great to get to see the progress you [HEVT] have made with your vehicle so far in Year 3," Alleyn said. "I'm glad we got a chance to sit down and chat about our partnership and the great vehicle you’re developing. We're going to do a lot of great things together this year."

VCC propane vehicle on the Drillfield, April 2013

During a dangerously delicious lunch meeting, we discussed plans to partner on a few alternative vehicle events in Roanoke this spring. I’m sure you’re dying to know what kind of events, huh? All we’ll give away is that you might find them “electrifying.” (Get it?)

The Clean Cities program is sponsored by the Department of Energy to help reduce dependence on imported petroleum products by promoting alternative fuel use in the transportation sector. They are instrumental in cultivating an advanced transportation community in which people learn about a wide range of options and technologies.

Be on the lookout for some great collaborative efforts with VCC to come in spring of 2014. Oh, and stay tuned for those “electrifying” events!