SEVA Meeting Minutes – February 2024

The monthly membership meeting, in conjunction with the required annual meeting, of the Seattle Electric Vehicle Association was on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024. Thank you to Rivian for their generous offer to host our meetings at their University Village showroom meeting space.

At 6:59 p.m,, former Scribe Kevin Boze issued the cry and President Jay Donnaway called the meeting to order.

RIVIAN REPORT – Vice President Grace Reamer thanked Nate Dietz from Rivian for hosting and preparing the space. Nate introduced other Rivian personnel. Nate directed attention to a site hosted by Rivian, https://www.directevsales.com, which can generate messages to the legislature advocating EV sales without a requirement for dealerships.  Rivian employee  Summer said that Rivian is low-volume for now. Their lower-cost SUV, the “R2,” will be their next model. The reveal is scheduled for March 7. President Jay Donnaway said his father has put 4,000 miles on his new Rivian, most of that during a road trip pulling an Airstream trailer from Louisiana to Arizona.

NEW MEMBERS – Scott is a former member who has a recumbent bike and an old Mitsubishi and is about to receive delivery of a Tesla. George “Geo” is an electrical engineer who used to have an electric Ford Ranger. Jason “Jase” recently got a Model Y Performance. Bob once had an EV1, and now has a Model 3. Arya works in transportation electrification at Seattle City Light’s contractor. Diana just got a Rivian R1T. Amanda and her husband have a Tesla and an R1T.  David Cottrell runs the Emerald City Rivian Club.

ANNUAL MEETING:

• Review of 2023 – Secretary Billy Kreuter reviewed the minutes of the February 2023 annual meeting, which included the treasurer’s report stating that SEVA’s bank balance that day was $25,517. Treasurer Charlie Tsai then gave this year’s treasurer’s report. The balance is now reduced to $24,770.  Income has been from membership dues and donations. Expenses included car show registration fees and such administrative expenses as the state incorporation filing fee, post-office box, engraving the trophy, name badges and a new projector.
• Membership – Rob Mathewson shared membership ideas, including an email list for the interested public who can’t attend the monthly meetings, and creating committees. Proposed committees include tech, newsletter and communication, events, meeting logistics, and sponsorships.
• Annual board election – Jay called on Grace to conduct it. Grace read the section of the SEVA bylaws that directs that the annual board election be conducted in February.  Grace introduced this year’s candidates – Rob Mathewson for Vice President and Eric Eskilson for Secretary. Grace called for further nominations. There were none. Jay called for the vote with a show of hands. Rob and Eric were elected on a unanimous vote of those attending as the 2024-2026 Vice President and Secretary. Grace presented badges to the new board members. Thank you, Rob and Eric, for volunteering.

SUPER SEVA EV ADVOCATE – Jay announced that the award for 2023 goes to Grace. She was presented with the engraved trophy.

POLICY UPDATES – Grace reported that, because this is an even-numbered year, the Washington state constitution directs that this year’s legislative session be “short,” or 60 days. SB5812, requiring a study of best practices for responding to electric vehicle fires, has passed the Senate unanimously (evidently satisfying both EV advocates wishing to emphasize adequate EV safety, and EV foes wishing to highlight EV fires) and has gone to the House.  HB1368, requiring and funding purchases of zero-emission school buses after September 2035, was passed on a partisan vote and sent to the Senate. HB2028 is the anti-Rivian bill, further prohibiting direct EV sales; it has gone to the Rules Committee and has a companion bill, SB5945. Both should be stopped. However, SB6304, which will implement some provisions of the Transportation Electrification Strategy, includes the (pro) Rivian bill. It has passed the Transportation Committee and is now in the Rules Committee.

CHARGING UPDATES – Jay has served on the state Battery Management Study. Many on the committee are opposed to consumer service of EV batteries. A proposed regulation that the state Department of Agriculture should require universal card access to EVSEs is now on hold. Jay also described Electric Era, a Seattle startup working on innovative EVSEs with battery back-up. Jay demonstrated a CCS to Chademo adapter.

NATIONAL EVA MEETING – Scott reported on his attendance at the national Electric Vehicle Association annual meeting. It was hosted by Aptera. They showed their three-wheeled prototypes code-named gamma and delta. The launch model will have a 45kWh battery, but a 450-mile range. It will be open-source with right-to-repair. Motorcycle endorsements will not be required.

HISTORIC EV FOUNDATION – Jeff Finn reported on the Historic EV Foundation. Kent Bakke of Seattle is the president. Memberships are $25/year  Jeff offered a founding-member pin to anyone joining on Feb. 13.

EVENTS:

• Teresa Ramsdell of the Tesla Owners of Washington Association said that 45 people showed up at a recent Tesla event. TOWA is hosting a Tesla updated Model 3 event on Feb. 17. They are planning monthly scenic drive events.
• Nate from Rivian invited SEVA to an “EV Landscape” event from 6-7:30 on Feb. 21 at the Rivian store.
• The whole month of April is now Drive Electric Earth Month, and SEVA has again been invited to the Mercer Island Earth Day event.
• The Greenwood Car Show will be Sat., June 29, this year with extended hours and a parade.
•  National Drive Electric Week will be Sept. 27-Oct. 6.

ANNOUNCEMENTS – Jay said that the first fast-charging EV ever made was present outside the meeting. Scott Vandivort said that Pacwesty’s Tofino is for sale.  Pacwesty is working on a Jaguar conversion, to be delivered Feb. 16.

The meeting concluded shortly before 8:30 p.m.