The Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) held its first “Electric Vehicle & Next Generation Technology For Outdoor Recreation Summit” last Wednesday, discussing the strategic deployment of electric vehicles and other green technologies to the outdoor recreation market and economy.
The summit started with remarks from White House Transportation Emissions Senior Director Austin Brown, Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Land and Minerals Management Laura Daniel-Davis, and Kampgrounds of America, Inc. President and CEO Toby O’Rourke.
The event explored momentum and opportunities for electric RVs of all types, recreation’s “state of readiness,” measures of consumer demand, the challenges of electric charging infrastructure near recreation assets, and other green economy solutions, as per the News & Insights report of the RV Industry Association.
“The cross-sector businesses and partners gathered have an opportunity to lead the greening of outdoor recreation experiences, make significant impacts in reducing carbon emissions while helping to create jobs, and build local economies as we introduce next-generation technologies to recreation consumers,” said Jessica Turner, President of ORR.
“This event was extremely important because of the industry-wide thought-leadership on how we begin the transition to cleaner technologies and ensured we can be clear-eyed about the opportunities and challenges ahead.”
The event had panel discussions with speakers from outdoor recreation businesses, federal and state agencies, and partner organizations that will be key to the outdoor recreation industry’s successful integration of next-generation technologies.
THOR Industries Vice President for Product Development and Engineering McKay Featherstone and Winnebago Industries Senior Vice President for Business Development, Advanced Technology & Enterprise Marketing Ashis Bhattcharya, along with speakers from Brunswick Corporation, QuietKat, and Zero Motorcycles, discussed the numerous challenges and opportunities in this space, and how people recreating can have charging infrastructure installed for them efficiently, sustainably, and equitably.
“With so many of our favorite places facing severe climate threats, the outdoor recreation community has a compelling reason to lead the way in implementing climate solutions and accelerating our transition toward a clean energy-powered and electrified economy. A major part of that equation is going to be the adoption of electric vehicles and charging infrastructure, and other clean and carbon pollution-free technologies. This summit is a real testament to the recreation industry’s eagerness to take concrete actions that will allow us to pass on the outdoor places we all love to our children and future generations,” said U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM).
“America’s public lands provide unparalleled outdoor recreation opportunities for more than 70 million visitors each year, and that activity translates into vital jobs and economic development throughout the country,” said Laura Daniel-Davis, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Land and Minerals Management.
She said that with the president’s America the Beautiful Initiative and transformational resources in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Interior Department could work on improving access through public lands, repurpose abandoned mines, and install electric vehicle infrastructure.
“Michigan is excited to partner with the nation’s outdoor recreation leaders who are the catalysts that are driving the industry’s transition to an electric future,” said Brad Garmon, Director of the Michigan Outdoor Recreation Industry Office.
He said they are working with the companies and entrepreneurs that deliver innovative outdoor products to the market, like electric snowmobiles to the Lake Michigan EV Circuit and solar-powered boat startups.
Garmon also said it will support community leaders in deploying critical EV chargers to recreational destinations and engage with people in building and maintaining the green technology, expanding access to the “great outdoors.”
ORR will hold a Hill briefing and release a white paper, based on most of the topics and information discussed at this event, about next-generation technologies and the future of an increasingly resilient outdoor reaction economy in the coming weeks.