About EV Four Corners
The first thing to know about us is we are a non-commercial, loosely affiliated interest group. We will not be taking advertising at any time, though we may discuss businesses or groups we like on our blog. If you sign up for our email list, we will not give your name to anyone else without your permission. Currently this site has two authors, Sarah Kelly and Gordon Rodda, both of Durango, CO. If you’re interested in writing a blog post to share your EV experience, EV road trip story or highlight a favorite EV charging spot in the Four Corners, please contact us at [email protected].
In the spring of 2017, local non-profit Four Corners Office for Resource Efficiency organized a group buy of Nissan Leafs with our local Nissan dealer Nissan of Durango. Through this group buy, our small community (55,586 in La Plata County, CO) purchased more than 50 Nissan Leafs.
By September 2017, Durango Electric Vehicle Enthusiasts had formed as many of these first time electric vehicle owners banded together with local owners of Teslas, Chevrolet EVs and Toyota PHEVs to help each other figure out EV basics like:
- How and when to activate the regenerative braking mode?
- What are the different types of chargers and how do they work?
- Do I need to install a charger in my house, or just plug into a wall socket?
- What is the best way to preserve my car’s battery life?
- How can we encourage local businesses and governments to add chargers to our communities and state highways so we can use our EVs to travel throughout Colorado and to our closely neighboring states of Utah, Arizona and New Mexico?
As Durango Electric Vehicle Enthusiasts grew and changed, we decided to change the format from one of local informational meetings and events to a website which could be easily accessed and allow for discussion and participation of more people. EV 4 Corners was created to meet that purpose.
We are now affiliated with the Denver Electric Vehicle Council (DEVC). DEVC was founded in 1974, after the first “gas shortage” crisis in 1973 when turmoil in the Middle East disrupted US oil markets. They have an excellent, free monthly newsletter. They are the Denver chapter of the the Electric Auto Association (EAA).
The Electric Auto Association (EAA) was formed in 1967 by Walter Laski in San Jose, California. In the 70’s, two separate gas shortages gripped the country, one propelled by an oil embargo imposed by Arab States. Long lines at gas pumps, alternate fueling days frustrated and angered many. Some Silicon Valley, CA engineers decided that gas engines had to go. The association grew in response. Sharing the knowledge of converting gas cars to electric helped put more electric vehicles on the road. These early advocates wanted to create public awareness with the goal of influencing policies to reduce dependence on foreign oil. They also understood, from an engineering perspective, that electric cars are simply a better technology.
EAA website “About Us”
