July 23, 2020 – Dartmouth, N.S. – CAA Atlantic has added a fully-electric Tesla Model 3 to its fleet, to offer to the public for free test drives.

“Increasing EV adoption is our goal,” says Gary Howard, Senior Vice President of Communications at CAA Atlantic. “The automotive industry is changing rapidly, and we want to make EVs more accessible."

CAA Atlantic purchased the vehicle in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic broke out. Funding for the electric vehicle came from the Connect2 grant by the Nova Scotia Department of Energy and Mines.

The CAA Tesla will be unveiled to the public today, July 23, at 11 a.m. at CAA Dartmouth, 330 John Savage Ave. Mayor Mike Savage will take the inaugural drive of the Tesla. Those interested in attending must contact Julia Kent (jkent@atlantic.caa.ca) as attendance is limited. All COVID-19 safety protocols will be observed for the event. 

CAA Atlantic will be offering its EV to the public for free test drives though NextRide, a program by the Clean Foundation that hosts pop-up EV test drives events around Nova Scotia. 

“NextRide has a hugely successful test drive program,” Howard says. “They are the perfect Nova Scotia partner and we’re excited to be collaborating with them.”

Thorough COVID-19 precautions will be strictly enforced for test drives. All test drive participants will wear masks and sanitize their hands, and in between each test drive, the vehicle will be fully sanitized using a foam spray designed for vehicles. Participants will also be required to sign a COVID-19 questionnaire prior to entering the vehicle, and provide contact tracing information.

Until today, you could only test drive a Tesla if you know someone who owns one. 

“There’s a common misconception that EVs are expensive and unattainable for the average consumer, but that’s just not true,” says Howard. “We’re here to dispel some of those myths and show the public how easy it is to transition.”

The vehicle is part of a larger, long-term electric vehicle strategy for CAA Atlantic. CAA Members who own EVs also receive exclusive Member benefits, insurance discounts and specialized roadside assistance. 

As part of CAA Atlantic’s vehicle fleet, the CAA Tesla will also be outfitted to perform light service duties on an emergency basis. CAA Atlantic is closely monitoring the truck industry and plans to be early adopters of the new technology for its roadside assistance vehicles.

“We’ve gone out of our way to specialize in electric vehicles,” says Howard. “Public education on cleaner and greener transportation is needed, and we want to positively contribute to that.”

 

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For more information, visit atlantic.caa.ca/testdrive or contact:

Julia Kent

Director, Public & Government Affairs
T: 902-468-4570
M: 902-402-8800
E: jkent@atlantic.caa.ca

 

About CAA

CAA is a federation of eight not-for-profit Clubs providing more than six million Members with roadside assistance, Member savings and comprehensive automotive and travel services. CAA also advocates on issues of concern to its Members, including road safety, the environment, mobility, infrastructure, and consumer protection.