- 1 day ago
Category
🛠️
LifestyleTranscript
00:00Good morning. Good morning, Essence and attendees. Thank you for coming. Good morning. Good.
00:14Good. We came a long distance to be here with you all, so we're really excited to be here
00:19and have this conversation with you this morning. We're glad to be back. Yay. It's good to be
00:26back and good to be able to be seen. All right. So let's go ahead and get started. Before we kick
00:31things off, I want to thank Ford as well as Essence. Ford has brought together this panel
00:37and they're going to have a really rousing discussion, an exciting discussion about
00:42electric vehicles and this new technology. And we want to thank Ford for taking strides to really
00:47make sure that everyone can move forward freely with a variety of electric vehicles and electric
00:53vehicle options to choose from. So thank you again, Ford. And yeah, it's okay to clap. Let's clap for
01:01Ford. All right. Wonderful. Wonderful. So the transportation landscape looks really different
01:07today than it's ever looked. We've seen transformational investments from the federal
01:11government as well as auto manufacturers to really help increase the sale and production of electric
01:17vehicles. And so what that also means is that there's going to be more job opportunities with
01:23the production of clean electric vehicles and that vehicles, trucks, buses, scooters, the whole nine.
01:28It also is going to mean less pollution. And African-American communities are disproportionately
01:33impacted by transportation emissions. So that's a very important conversation for our community.
01:39So this is a really wonderful opportunity for black women to have this conversation with each other
01:46about these new mobility options and just what exactly does it mean? And so let's go ahead and join and jump
01:54into our conversation. We're going to have a really empowering conversation today about electric
01:59transportation from the safety of these vehicles to the affordability and accessibility. And to support me in
02:06having this conversation this morning, we have these two lovely women here. So we have Dr. Nadia Anderson.
02:12We have Ms. Tanisha Sykes. And I'm going to just tell you a little bit about them. So Dr. Nadia has over
02:2010 years of experience working in the electric vehicle, e-mobility, as well as autonomous vehicle
02:27technology. She's worked for AAA. I'm sure people that you've heard of, she's worked for a company called
02:33Cruise Automation that manufactures electric cars as well as autonomous vehicles. So those are cars that
02:41don't have any drivers, so driverless vehicles. So she's been working on government affairs as well
02:46as policy development. So she's going to bring that expertise to us today. Then we have Ms. Tanisha
02:53Winfrey. And so Ms. Tanisha is a local. She's from Baton Rouge, the suburbs of Baton Rouge. So she's here
03:03today as an EV enthusiast. She drives a Ford Mach-E. And she's a mental health clinician in her times
03:11where she's not driving her new electric vehicle. And she's also a member of an organization called
03:17EV Hybrid Noir, which is the nation's largest network of diverse EV drivers and enthusiasts.
03:22There are thousands of African American and Hispanic members, people just like you from similar
03:28communities who have electric vehicles. And it's a really nice community for folks to convene in.
03:34So we'll learn a little bit more about her experiences with both driving an electric vehicle as well as
03:39being part of this group. All right. So I'm going to kick things off. And I'm going to start with
03:46you, Tanisha. So, you know, tell us what led you to, you know, purchase an electric vehicle?
03:54What has that experience been like? What have been some of the positives that have come about as a
03:58result of you, you know, making this transition?
04:02I would say like about three years ago, I happened to stump upon a video about an EV.
04:06And I think it really piqued my interest. The technology in these cars, the advancement
04:11compared to regular gas cars. I did research about it. I thought it would be great. It seemed so much
04:18simpler than what I was driving. Before I had a 2011 Ford Fusion. It was so much easier. It seemed
04:25simple just eliminating gas. And I did tons of research and I figured this was just a car for me.
04:31Okay. And tell us a little bit, can you tell us, so, you know, on average, what do you spend to
04:38charge your vehicle as well as like, tell us about what you spend on maintenance?
04:44I think that's one of the biggest questions I get all of the time. The difference in my electricity
04:48bill, which was only about $30 to $50 a month increase. And it's a big difference for me trying
04:54to fill up a tank every four days to get to and from work. I was spending $40 to $50 every three or four days.
05:01And I think that's a really important part, a point to kind of lean into because currently gas
05:07prices in New Orleans is about $5 a gallon and that's not even for premium. And I know in other
05:12places across the country, it's $7, $8 on the West Coast. So just being able to spend, you know,
05:19maybe $30 a month to refuel your vehicle. Are you refueling your vehicle at home?
05:25Yes. I plug up, I charge every night. It's very simple because I was the person that put
05:30off getting gas to the very last minute. I'll be late for work in the morning trying to stop and
05:33get gas. I don't have to worry about it anymore. I get home, I plug it up. Even if I miss a day,
05:38it's no big deal. I get 320 miles on a full charge.
05:42That's amazing. And so I think one of the things that people are always interested in,
05:47just like how much are you spending and, you know, charging your vehicle. So 80 to 90 percent of
05:53your charging is typically done at home. And if you don't have access to charging at home,
05:58you can often charge in the workplace or in your respective communities. So that's another way to
06:05think about charging. And it's also thinking about refueling an electric vehicle. It's like having
06:11a gas station or an electric fueling station at home. So I want to pivot now to you, Dr. Nadia.
06:19So Dr. Nadia, so you have obviously been working to help shape and guide policies around accelerating
06:28clean transportation, electric vehicles, autonomous mobility. Can you tell us, you know, what does
06:35our community, you know, the African American, Hispanic or black communities, what do we need
06:39to do to prepare and educate our communities for this technology? And, you know, what are some
06:45of the steps that we can take to really accelerate adoption within our community?
06:51No, sounds good. Great question. So before getting to the steps that we should be taking as a
06:55community, I want to sort of lay the foundation about where we are and talk about the shift that
06:59we're currently in. And it was something that Dr. Shelley alluded to before, like we have a once
07:04in a generation opportunity to do things in a different way, but also to make sure that these clean
07:09and zero emission vehicles and technologies are being deployed in our communities with our voice
07:13and with our support for what's happening internally. So how we see things progressing in the near term
07:19are going to reflect two things. The first one is going to reflect the degree to which the public
07:23sector, so the government, decides to align with the words that they're putting out when it comes to
07:28transportation equity, when it comes to environmental justice, and when it comes to overall mobility and
07:33economic progress. So there are two big things that are happening. So one, the Biden-Harris administration
07:39has something that's called Justice 40. Essentially, they are recognizing that in the past, these
07:44investments have missed our community, and that 40% of the money coming, investments support for
07:49climate change mitigation, but also investing in clean energy needs to come to our communities.
07:54The second thing that's happening under the Biden-Harris administration is that they're working
07:57what's called a whole of government approach. So that means that every single agency under the Biden
08:02administration is charged with putting out an equity action plan. So recognizing what has happened in the
08:07past, why certain communities and populations are being left out and not excluded, and then making
08:11sure that they're taking the steps in order to rectify those historic missteps that we've seen play
08:15out. Now, what this means for the electric vehicle space is that there's money coming from the federal
08:20government and a number of programs that are being put in place to make sure that electric vehicles are
08:24incentivized, but also that there's a build-out of that charging infrastructure you mentioned in a
08:29manner that removes that barrier that people may feel like they have if they're not able to have a charging
08:34station in their home. So making sure that people know where charging stations are, they're readily
08:38available, they accept multiple modes of payment, and that there's engagement with the community
08:43that's happening there. The other thing that I will say is happening is that there is a recent law that
08:47was passed that has billions with a B dollars focused specifically on carbon reduction and on EV
08:53infrastructure. These two things are put out in support of making sure that our transition, meaning the
08:58nation's transition towards electric vehicles and zero emission vehicles happens, and inside of each of
09:03those, there's a specific call out to black and Latino communities, making sure that there are
09:07targeted investments being made. Now, when it comes to educating ourselves, I think it's important for
09:11us to be aware of this money and attention that's coming. It's also important for us to be aware of
09:16the words that the federal government and that many of the public sector entities have put out saying
09:20that they're going to focus on this and do this in a different way. When it comes to us educating
09:24ourselves and engaging, it means making sure that we are actively engaged in this process. So if we see
09:30something that doesn't make sense to us when it comes to how they're trying to roll out EV charging
09:33stations or more electric vehicles, that we are speaking up about that on social media, that we're
09:38reaching out to our representatives, but also that we're having that public conversation to make sure
09:42that folks know that we are interested and invested in this technology. And I think that a thing that we
09:47can do to educate ourselves, in addition, is being educating on how to be active in that conversation.
09:53So exploring the various channels that we need to use to make sure that we're able to take advantage of
09:57any programs that may offset the cost of buying a vehicle, that may offset the cost of putting a
10:02charging station in your home, that may offset the cost of you transitioning to adopting a new
10:06vehicle if you just brought a new car, and then engaging in those conversations in a very active
10:11and principled and substantive way to make sure that they keep their eye on the prize and that they
10:15continue to abide by the words and actions that they put out and that they're able to deliver on
10:19the promise that they're giving to us now when it comes to electric vehicles.
10:22Thank you. Thank you so much, Dr. Nadia. And one of the, you know, I agree with everything that you
10:27shared. I also want to, you know, one of the barriers that we see working in the space when
10:33people are thinking about transitioning to an electric vehicle or clean transportation is that
10:38they're concerned, obviously, with the charging infrastructure. And one of the things that you
10:42pointed out was that the current administration has passed legislation to help build that out.
10:47And so for every state, all 50 states, they have their state infrastructure plan. And so the
10:55infrastructure is first going to be built out on the interstates and the highway. So every 50 miles,
11:00there's going to be a fast charger. So if you're going from here to Baton Rouge to, you know, other
11:06points within Louisiana or across the country, you'll have access to charging infrastructure. And, you know,
11:12the charging infrastructure is already really good, but it's going to be even better with this
11:16infusion of money. And, you know, another way that we can help encourage our community to,
11:23one, be more aware of this transportation paradigm and this shift is really to make this transition
11:30normal, like normalize that. And that's one of the things that we do with EV Hybrid Noirs. We really
11:35try to show that, hey, there are people just like you and me driving electric vehicles and they're
11:41driving vehicles that cost anywhere from, say, maybe $8,000 on up. So there's over 90 or close
11:48to 90 different types of electric vehicles that are currently available to be purchased. And they're
11:53available at all different price points. So you don't have to be a millionaire to, you know, have this
11:58type of vehicle. My first vehicle was $9,500. And that was my introduction to electric vehicles. And I
12:05haven't turned back since. So I want to pivot now and come back to you, Ms. Tanisha. Now tell us a
12:13little bit more about, you know, your transition again to having an electric vehicle and like what
12:18were some of the resources that you used to be able to determine, like, okay, is this a right move for
12:24myself and my family? I was able to find YouTube videos, people test driving cars, giving me the
12:32pros and cons. I actually joined Facebook groups. I'm a member of EV Hybrid Noir. I was able to talk
12:38to people, ask questions, try to figure out if this is the right fit for me, and just basically
12:44do as much research as I can before making such a purchase to make sure I was prepared.
12:50That's wonderful. And that makes a big difference, I'm sure, when you're able to, you know, talk to
12:55individuals that have that have had this experience with having an electric vehicle, or you're able to
13:01see and test drive what that vehicle is. I think there's no better experience than having an opportunity
13:07to, you know, just test it, experience it, and try it out, and see if it's a really good fit for you.
13:13And with that being said, there are opportunities for those today who are here. If you want to test drive,
13:19some electric vehicles, Ford actually has electric vehicles, the Ford Mach-E, and the Ford Lightning
13:24pickup truck, which very few people have seen, and seen and had the opportunity to test drive.
13:30So I would encourage you in the audience to sign up for the test drive so that you can really feel,
13:35touch, and experience what this technology is like. And I promise you, you won't be disappointed.
13:40So just thinking in terms of, like, if you have to give tips to your friends, your family,
13:48about getting an electric vehicle, or just figuring out if this is a good fit for you,
13:53like, what are some of the resources or the suggestions that you would share with them in
13:58terms of, like, how to see if this is a good fit for their lifestyles and for their families?
14:03I would say to find someone with an electric vehicle, talk to them, ask questions. You can
14:08join groups. Like I said, EV Hibernur is very calm, relaxed. I feel like part of the family is good
14:15to see so many people that look like you that own EVs or are driving EVs. YouTube. I also join Reddit
14:23just to read and find out what's going on.
14:27Okay. That sounds wonderful. And what about you, Dr. Nadia? What are some of the suggestions
14:32that you would recommend that, you know, folks in the audience or folks who are watching us can
14:37utilize to find out more about this technology? No, that's a good question. There are a lot of
14:44resources that are out there when it comes to electric vehicles and other alternative fuel vehicles.
14:48And the simple answer is we all have to get on Beyonce's internet and figure out and do some
14:52diving and figure out what's happening there. I would say in addition to the great work that, like,
14:56EV Hybrid Noir is working on and building community and all the Facebook groups and social media
15:00platforms is looking at the private sector companies who are producing the vehicles,
15:04but also looking at the companies who are building out the EV charging infrastructure to support those
15:08vehicles. See what information they have on their websites about the experience, test drives,
15:14demonstrations. A lot of people have virtual experiences. They're diving down into the technology,
15:18but also into the vehicle's functionality. And they have people who are ready to answer questions.
15:23Another source that people sometimes forget to go to is the dealer. So when you're thinking about your
15:27new next vehicle, go to the dealer and ask about their EV offerings. Ask them to walk you through
15:32what's going on with the technology, how this compares to an internal combustion engine, or maybe
15:36a different type of technology that's there. And I will say the last point is hold both of those
15:40parties accountable. So if the public sector is working to sell you a vehicle and they're not speaking in
15:45the language that makes sense to you, they're not doing things that are reflective and representative,
15:49make sure that they know the same thing with the dealers. They're supposed to have information
15:53about the cars that they're selling. So if they don't have that, make sure that you call that out
15:57and make sure that you ask the questions that are there and then pull those resources together.
16:01And when we talk about the shift to electric vehicles, that's the other part that's going
16:05to be very influential on how that happens for our community. We have the public sector and the
16:09government doing a lot of work to make sure that they are doing what they can. But the private sector
16:13also needs to start thinking about us as a part of their market analysis. So understanding our needs,
16:18understanding how we understand information, and then making sure that they are designing products
16:23and tools and resources that speak to the gaps that may currently exist, and understanding too,
16:28like how we make our purchase decisions, and that they're able to put solutions in place to help sort of
16:32smooth that transition and process that's out there. In terms of resources, again, I think the federal
16:37government has a ton of stuff that's out there. I think your local government will also have a lot of
16:40information about the technology. But again, not forgetting to touch base and make sure that you
16:45dig in on the private sector companies' websites, on the companies that are built out EV charging
16:49infrastructure and stations, et cetera. But just using all the tools you have and putting them
16:53together to answer any questions that you have, and then also building on community as well.
16:56Awesome. So you guys have gotten such a wealth of information from our two experts today. I would also
17:04add that you should also research what types of rebates and incentives are available for purchasing
17:09vehicles within your state. On the federal government side, part of the work that we do at my
17:15organization, so I work for and I'm co-founder of a company called EV Noir, and we work on electric
17:20connected shared and autonomous mobility solutions. And so part of that work involves really helping
17:26guide what the federal government, so the White House, the Department of Energy, the EPA, we work with
17:33the OEMs, Ford, for instance, and others. So we are working with them to help them craft their
17:39decarbonization strategies. So really just helping them transition to cleaner, greener transportation.
17:44And so one of the things, obviously, that's top of mind is just being able to identify opportunities
17:52where people like yourselves can plug in with us transitioning to cleaner and greener transportation,
17:58their workforce and economic development opportunities. When we started off, we talked about there's
18:03billions of dollars, close to a trillion dollars being invested in this economy. And I'll say this again,
18:09there's close to a trillion dollars being invested both from the federal government side as well as from the
18:16auto manufacturing side. So what does that mean? That means that there are going to be millions,
18:21millions of job opportunities for working in this space. And you don't have to be an engineer,
18:27it could be every anyone from a recent high school graduate or somebody who has a GED all the way up to
18:33somebody who has a doctoral degree. And so we really we have to train our workforce so that we're able to
18:40be some of the key decision makers at the table who are setting policy research incentives and practice,
18:47because we need our voice and our input and our shared experiences to really help make sure that this landscape is
18:53accessible to our community. So we don't want anyone to be left behind in this transition.
18:57And another really key point about this from like the health aspect, because I'm a public health trained
19:04PhD, and it's really important to me to be able to address the environmental health disparities that African Americans and
19:11Hispanic and folks representing tribal and indigenous communities face. Our communities are disproportionately impacted by
19:19transportation emissions. And 70% of black people live in communities that are disproportionately impacted by
19:26pollution. One of the leading factors of pollution or causes of pollution are transportation emissions.
19:32So that's why it's really critically important for us to make this transition to clean transportation,
19:38and that we're talking everything from the scooters and the e-bikes all the way up to the medium heavy
19:43duty trucks and buses that come through our neighborhoods and our communities. So again,
19:48we are so excited to have had the opportunity to talk about these experiences that Miss Tanisha has had,
19:56the policy landscape that Dr. Nadia has been part of, and just sharing with you that this transportation
20:04paradigm is here. It's not just about the future. It is happening right now. We don't want anyone to be left
20:10behind. So thank you again to Ford and to Essence for bringing us together to really have this open
20:17discussion during the 2022 Essence Festival. So thank you again for the space and thank you all for coming
20:24out. And we look forward to seeing you doing these test drives while you're here.
Comments