Easthampton, MA, March 28, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mayor Nicole LaChapelle has partnered with MoveEV, the first-of-its-kind AI-driven green tech solution designed to make electric vehicle (EV) adoption accessible and affordable for municipalities and municipal employees, to make Easthampton the first city to offer its employees an electric vehicle adoption benefit and transition all city-owned vehicles to electric vehicles t at the same time. This is a significant milestone for Easthampton, which is working to develop an ambitious and comprehensive Climate Action Plan to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.

The partnership with MoveEV has immense economic and environmental savings potential for the city of Easthampton and its employees. Collectively, city employees could claim up to $3 million in federal and state incentives, and save $900,000 on gas annually by switching to EVs. Swapping out these vehicles for clean EV alternatives cuts an average of 4.7 metric tons of carbon dioxide (MTCo2) a year per vehicle and collectively could remove 1,500 MTCo2 annually. For the city’s fleet vehicles, the planned transition over the next 5-10 years should save the city $360,000 a year on gas alone, and will remove 600 MTCo2 annually.

"We are excited to partner with MoveEV to help Easthampton reach our sustainability goals. In a fast moving industry, this public - private partnership with MoveEV gives Easthampton the technical support necessary to move toward vehicle decarbonization,” said Mayor Nicole LaChappelle. “Electric car by electric car, the City will see a measurable material impact - environmental and financial - while leveraging government and private incentives.”

The announcement coincides with the city of Easthampton’s Earth Day event for employees, which will take place on April 20th, and is an important and concrete step toward the city's commitment to local carbon reduction. The event, which will be held at City Hall, 50 Payson Avenue, from 12pm-4pm, is open to all municipal employees with remarks from both Mayor LaChapelle and MoveEV CEO David Lewis at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.

"We are thrilled to be working with the City of Easthampton to help them halve their emissions by 2030,” said MoveEV's founder and CEO, David Lewis. “Electric vehicles are a game-changer for the environment, and will also save the city and its taxpayers a tremendous amount of money. With the combination of MoveEV's fleet and HR programs, we are confident that Easthampton will be a leader in helping Massachusetts reach its sustainability goals."

Municipal employees who attend the event at City Hall will be able to test-drive electric vehicles on site. The MoveEV employee benefits portal will also be showcased, helping employees understand the true economic and environmental costs of their current gas-powered vehicle and commuting habits, and provides an intuitive, customized, step-by-step process to manage their EV transition and take advantage of federal, state, and local EV adoption incentives. MoveEV’s conversion planning and management software walks employees through the EV adoption process including: calculating the value of switching to an EV, suggesting the right vehicle, monitoring supply, order placement and delivery, installing charging, and filling out incentive paperwork.

The need to pursue sustainable and climate conscious initiatives such as the partnership between Easthampton and MoveEV has been a focus for the Easthampton community since the City Council passed a resolution declaring a climate emergency in 2021.

For more information on MoveEV/Easthampton’s sustainability initiative, visit, https://easthamptonma.gov/736/5398/MoveEV-Fleet-Electrification

About Easthampton

Easthampton, a city with 16,000 residents, is located in the fertile Connecticut River Valley of Western Massachusetts. Easthampton has evolved from a rural farming village to a flourishing mill town and to a vibrant and diverse community with a wealth of artists, entrepreneurs, makers, retail shops, award-winning restaurants and numerous recreational opportunities.  The City is home to a thriving precision machine sector, hailing back to its history of an industrial New England village. The City’s evolution is the result of a strong commitment taking down barriers for residents and business to thrive and smart green growth actions throughout its departments - planning to finance. For more information on these projects and others, visit: https://easthamptonma.gov/405/Current-Projects