Event features speakers from ‘MotorWeek,’ ComEd and the American Lung Association
CHICAGO, Feb. 8, 2022 – Chicago Area Clean Cities invites commercial and government fleets, community leaders, and the public, to attend its ninth Green Drives Conference & Expo on Tuesday, May 3. One of the largest clean-transportation conferences in the Midwest, this year’s program will be held at the Northern Illinois University Conference Center in Naperville, Illinois.
“This will be one of the first large business-networking events since the pandemic started two years ago. We expect to have more than 250 attendees, two-dozen speakers and up to 40 environmentally friendly vehicles on display,” said John Walton, chair, Chicago Area Clean Cities Coalition. “Green Drives is a must-attend event for anyone interested in sustainable transportation. It is a conference, a trade show, and an auto show, all-in-one, and all-in-one-day, celebrating the latest in green-vehicle technologies.
“Attendees not only get a chance to network with experts from throughout the region and the U.S., but they learn of first-hand experiences from fleets who use electric vehicles and alternative fuels,” Walton said. “At Green Drives, we connect the people and technologies that make sustainable transportation a reality. Our exhibitors also give attendees the chance to get behind the wheel of vehicles of all different sizes.”
Speakers at this year’s show include:
- John Davis, the Emmy Award-winning host of MotorWeek Television
- Melissa Washington, Sr. Vice President & External Affairs, ComEd
- Robert Duffer, senior editor, The Car Connection
- Jerry Quandt, executive director, Illinois Autonomous Vehicles Association
- Matt Herman, director of environmental science, Clean Fuels Alliance (formerly National Biodiesel Board)
- Anthony Maietta, life scientist, Air and Radiation Division, USEPA Region 5
- Angela Tin, vice president of environmental health, American Lung Association
- Jeff Carpenter, energy coordinator, United States Department of Agriculture
- Jim Keiken, director, University of Illinois Fire Service Institute
- Steffen Mueller, principal economist, Bioenergy and Transportation Emissions Research Group, University of Illinois Chicago
Up to 40 alternative fuel and electric vehicles will be on display, with some available for test drives.
Vehicle-fleet managers may register for a complimentary pass to attend the program. Offer is available for commercial or government fleet managers or other decision makers of vehicle fleet purchases, such as directors, city managers, mayors, or county officials.
“Green Drives is a great opportunity for commercial and municipal fleet managers, dealer personnel, small businesses, and clean-tech and clean-energy professionals to hear about the performance and environmental benefits of electric and alternative fuel vehicles,” Walton said.
“Whether you run a small or large business, are a fleet manager, manage a dealership or service garage, or work in technology or energy, there will be topics of interest and networking opportunities for you.”
Green Drives will be held at Northern Illinois University’s Conference and Meetings Center, 1120 East Diehl Road, Naperville, IL 60563. To register for tickets, or become a sponsor or exhibitor, visit Eventbrite. If you are a fleet manager and would like a complimentary pass, please contact info@chicagocleancities.org.
Chicago Area Clean Cities, a nonprofit coalition focused on promoting clean transportation in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs, has been working with commercial and government fleets for nearly 30 years to help them transition to sustainable transportation. The coalition’s membership is comprised of federal, state, and local governments, corporations, small businesses, and individuals. These stakeholders come together to share information and resources, educate the public, help craft public policy, and collaborate on projects that reduce petroleum use.
Chicago Area Clean Cities is one of more than 75 coalitions across the country affiliated with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Clean Cities program, which brings together stakeholders to increase the use of alternative fuel and advanced-vehicle technologies, reduce idling, and improve fuel economy and air quality. The coalition concentrates its efforts on educating businesses and municipalities in the six-county Chicago region, including Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties.
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