Take Charge plugs into National Plug In Day Saturday

If you're interested in saving money on gas and maintenance for your vehicle, get in gear and head over to "Take Charge," Denver Metro Clean Cities Coalition's third annual National Plug In Day. It will rev up on Saturday in the parking lot at South High School. Chevy, Nissan, Tessla and many others will have vehicles available for test drives, and experts will be on hand to answer questions about tax incentives as well as to demonstrate how easy it is to operate an electric vehicle.

See also: Sing the vehicle electric: The Electric Avenue expo and Revenge of the Electric Car

"Electric vehicles cost less over time, have a lesser carbon footprint, and are fun to drive," says Natalia Swalnick, director of Environmental Health for the American Lung Association in Colorado.

There are almost 2,000 electric vehicles in Colorado, Swalnick says, out of almost 135,00 nationwide. According to recent Wall Street Journal article, unlike most new technologies, electric cars are starting out at a lower price and will continue to stay low.

Denver Metro Clean Cities, which is putting on Take Charge, is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy and administered by the American Lung Association in Colorado. Founded in 1993, it's the second-oldest program of its kind in the country, and is devoted to getting Colorado drivers to reduce petroleum consumption. "Electric vehicles are just one way that consumers can support this goal, by changing their transportation choices," says Swalnick.

The free event runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 1700 East Louisiana Avenue. Basic Kneads, a local food truck, will be on-site, serving up its signature wood-fired pizza. For more information, visit www.electricridecolorado.com.

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