Portsmouth electric vehicle show coming to downtown: Here's what you can expect

PORTSMOUTH — People who want to learn more about what it’s like to own and operate an electric vehicle are invited to visit the city's Bridge Street parking lot Sunday.

The third annual Portsmouth EV Show will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the downtown parking lot, according to City Councilor Josh Denton, who is one of the event’s organizers.

The event is also being put on by Clean Energy New Hampshire, according to Denton, who has helped organize three such events in Portsmouth.

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People attending the event “can see how common they (EVs) are becoming and be reassured that there’s more and more electric vehicle chargers out there and they don’t have to be concerned about running out of power,” Denton said during an interview Tuesday.

Organizers decided to hold the event at the Bridge Street lot location because it was recently approved for two EV charging stations, Denton said.

“This is the fourth set of public EV chargers in the city,” Denton added.

There are already EV chargers at the High-Hanover parking garage, the City Hall parking lot and the Foundry Place garage, Denton said.

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The Level 2 EV chargers at the four locations typically take eight to 10 hours to fully charge an EV, Denton estimated.

Many EV owners install private chargers at their homes.

Which electric vehicles will be on display in Portsmouth?

There will be a mix of EVs at Sunday’s event, which are being displayed by dealerships and private citizens, Denton said.

He expects to see an EV Mini Cooper at Sunday’s event, which he acknowledged are “tough to find,” along with a Rivian, “which is one of the two EV truck models out there.”

Other EVs expected to be at the Bridge Street lot include a Tesla Model 3, a BMW iX, a Ford Mustang Mach-E, a Toyota Prius Prime and a Volkswagen ID.4.

“I’m really excited to introduce people to how many different types of electric vehicles are available,” Denton said.

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He acknowledged EVs are typically more expensive than conventional vehicles but stressed that “over time driving the EV will eventually pay for the extra cost itself.”

Denton said he still drives a 2013 Honda but mostly gets around the city by biking or walking.

“If you only use an EV to get around town, it might be better to hold onto your own junker like I am, it’s less of a carbon footprint,” Denton said.

Denton has always been a fan of Sprinter vans, which he described as “essentially a camper van.”

“I would love to have an EV version of that,” he said.

Charging station access growing

In addition to the public charging stations in Portsmouth, there are landlords in the city who offer EV charging stations, Denton said, including Eric Chinburg’s Brewery Lane properties.

But like the public charging stations, people must pay to use them, Denton noted.

There are also concerns about how far EVs can be driven before they need another charge, Denton acknowledged.

But despite that and other challenges, Denton believes the popularity of EVs will continue to grow.

“I think it’s clear by seeing that there’s more and more types of EVs on the road,” Denton said. “Ford came out with an EV F-150 and I think you’ll see more and more models.”

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Portsmouth NH electric vehicle show coming to Bridge Street lot