Chamber Executives Line Up To Drive New Electric Vehicle

New England Chamber Executives got behind the wheel of the new Nissan electric vehicle at the recent New England Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives meeting (NEACCE) in New Hampshire.

Nissan provided the LEAF® ‎for a fun Drive-and-Ride event and shared information about how chambers, cities, and companies were purchasing electric vehicles at a discount while no longer having to pay at the pump for gas.

“I was surprised to experience how quiet the car was and how comfortable it was to drive,” said Roy Nascimento, President and CEO of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce. “I was even more surprised to see how affordable it would be someone to get one.”

Roy was not alone. And with state and federal incentives helping with the cost, local chambers can now purchase or lease electric vehicles at a fraction of the cost for a regular consumer.

The Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce took advantage of these reduced rates to lease an electric vehicle for one of their chamber executives. They also created a sponsorship program where member companies could pay to get their business logo on the car.

“Everyone gets excited when they see it,” said Stacey Bruzzese, President and CEO of the Greater Haverhill Chamber. “Not only has it more than paid for itself in gas savings and sponsorship dollars, but it has also gotten us a lot of press.”

Inspired by Greater Haverhill, many local Chambers are now looking into leasing electric vehicles, or getting a charging station to encourage more foot traffic to their businesses.

CICE organized the Drive-and-Ride event for NEACCE. If you would like to organize a similar event or learn more about getting a charging station at your chamber or leasing an electric vehicle, contact CICE’s Jessica Bergman at jbergman@sfchamber.com.