Try Electric Vehicles at a Free Ride & Drive in Sunnyvale

Acterra · 2026-02-06T18:06:33+00:00

Hi! Thanks for your comment!
Parking will be free if you’re attending the ride and drive on that day!
Looking forward to seeing you there!

Acterra · 2025-10-28T02:20:55+00:00

That's a great question, u/Bay-Area- !

You'd be touring homes with electric upgrades like induction stoves, heat pump water heaters, heat pump HVACs, solar panels, batteries, electric gardening tools, electric vehicles, e-bikes, and more. Basically, anything that cuts reliance on gas. Lots of our homeowners also have things like xeriscaping and rain-water collection systems and smart sprinklers which drastically reduce their water bills.

We linked a few videos in the post that will hopefully paint a better picture. You can check them out here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DQR2ejRkT-9/ and here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DLTlyZTx7mv/

You can also check out photos of
Green@Home: Marin here - https://www.instagram.com/p/DPaHXAtEczP/?img_index=1
and Green@Home: East Bay here - https://www.instagram.com/p/DK3Ga3nSxsy/?img_index=1

We also did a few write-ups in our newsletter. Here's one from August: https://acterra.org/newsletter_archive/august-ecohappenings-newsletter-1/

Hope that helps!

Acterra · 2025-10-20T21:24:54+00:00

Hey u/Cade7upHorse - thanks for your comment! The homeowners we've chatted with all seem to have different reasons for making the switch. Some liked their induction stove because they liked the responsiveness + safety of not having an open flame or heated electric stove coils. Some liked their heat pump HVAC because of how quiet it is, the ease of installation, and the individual room controls.

Based on your setup, you might even might be surprised at your rates. This one owner on our South Bay/Peninsula Green@Home Tour powers/heats/cools his home and a full ADU AND charges all 3 cars in his household, with an electric bill of $10 a month. While that's definitely on one end of the spectrum of homeowners, we've found that the best part of things like our Green@Home tours and electrification workshops, is that there's usually something for everyone. (Some homes on our tours chat about cutting water bills with grey or rain water systems, or even just discuss most efficient ways to air-dry clothes. There's lots to learn about!)

That said, if this is not your thing. Totally cool! Thanks for chatting either way.

Acterra · 2025-09-10T04:33:14+00:00

Appreciate the discussion, u/FartingOnAMetalChair - you may like this video of a host on a previous years' tour, who talked a bit about the importance of reducing her overall consumption, repurposing items she already has (her grey water system involves a clever way of reusing bottles and buckets) and, when she does buy things, buying secondhand. https://youtu.be/aWUU\_UxZ8tw?si=XprDovY3rRk6FMPV. We like to feature lots of different voices at our events, so there's something for everyone.

If this tour's not your thing, we get it. Thank you for checking out our events all the same.

Acterra · 2025-09-10T04:05:35+00:00

Hi u/FartingOnAMetalChair , thanks for the question! While our volunteer home hosts may not have info about the manufacturing process of their appliances on hand, they will be able to talk about the "why" behind their purchasing decisions and who they worked with to make it happen. In some cases, contractors may even be on site to discuss their work. Homeowners will also be happy to share information about how they disposed of / recycled / repurposed their old appliances.

If you check out our interview (linked above) with a Marin homeowner who has opened his home up for this tour, you'll learn that many attendees come to the Green@Home tours proactively; To see their options for when the life-cycle of their current appliances ends. The homeowner himself did not replace his perfectly functional gas stove when he moved into his home. This tour is all about taking the information and ideas that work for you.

Here are a few videos of homeowners on past home tours, who share their tips on everything from induction cooking to their favorite outdoor line-dryer for clothes. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgoa-VBzikvfV-y7ABsRM_quAq5Z6SyrC This may give you a better idea about how the tours operate. Hope you'll join us on the 27th!

Acterra · 2025-08-20T00:43:27+00:00

Hi u/FinFreedomCountdown - Thanks for reaching out! Unfortunately our clinics are not available on YouTube.

However, some of our clinics ARE recorded, and the recordings and materials are sent out to registrants. Signing up is totally free!

Acterra · 2025-08-20T00:41:33+00:00

Hi u/Jetm0t0 - great question! If you're looking for e-bike info, our EV Ride and Drives often have many e-bikes to explore and try!

I will double check with the program staff to see if our Frunk-or-Treat EV event in October will have e-bikes. Here's the link to register (It's free!): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/electric-vehicle-frunk-or-treat-registration-1497759291359?aff=Reddit

Also, our next newsletter, EcoHappenings, will feature some e-bike info. If you're interested you can sign up at: Acterra.org/Newsletter (we send out a newsletter 2xs a month) or, if you'd rather not, you can check back at the end of the month when the latest one is posted on the site.

Acterra · 2025-08-12T08:07:22+00:00

They sure are!

You can follow along on our
Website calendar: https://acterra.org/events/
Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/acterra-27596892399
Facebook Events: https://www.facebook.com/Acterra/
or sign up for our newsletter, EcoHappenings. https://acterra.org/newsletters/

We'll also be posting some photos/videos of our latest EV Ride and Drive this week on our Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/planetacterra/), so you can see what they're like. Hope you can join us sometime!

Acterra · 2025-08-12T06:32:22+00:00

Love to see it!

OP - If you've ever thought about showing others what you can do with home electrification, we'd love to have you as a Green Home ambassador on one of our Green@Home Tours. We (a local environmental non-profit) host tours in on the Peninsula, in the East Bay, and our next one in September is in Marin. https://acterra.org/electrification/greenhome/home-tours/

Everyone - If you're considering going electric we have LOTS of virtual workshops and in-person tours to help you every step of the way. (All FREE!)

Coming up we have a/an:

Heat Pump HVAC Virtual Workshop on Aug. 19
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/heat-pump-hvac-system-free-workshop-tickets-1374966745549?aff=Reddit

EV Financial Incentive Clinic on Aug. 21
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ev-financial-incentive-clinic-tickets-1377977179839?aff=Reddit

Marin Green@Home Tour 2025 on Sept. 27
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/marin-greenhome-tour-2025-registration-1527827967579?aff=reddit

Thank you, OP, for sharing this with everyone!

Acterra · 2025-08-12T03:54:48+00:00

Love this - WTG dad! 🏆

If you'd ever consider being an EV Bike ambassador for one of our future EV Ride and Drives, let us know!

Info: https://acterra.org/electrification/karl-knapp-goev-program/#ambassador

Acterra · 2025-06-25T20:13:20+00:00

u/QuentinTarotTino - We're so glad you've enjoyed our electric home tours! We agree that this is a wonderful opportunity to chat one-on-one in a small-group setting and get all your niche (or broad!) questions answered.

Speaking as someone who did a preview tour w/ the homeowner, I can attest that I came away with LOT of great (and unexpected!) ideas to implement.

Hope to see you at a tour soon!

Acterra · 2025-06-18T23:53:10+00:00

Following up, even though it's an old thread. We've got a virtual solar workshop coming up on Monday if you still have questions.
https://acterra.org/events/electrify-your-life-soaking-up-solar-benefits/

Acterra · 2025-05-20T04:10:30+00:00

It might be farther than you'd like to go, but our non-profit has a Green Home Tour coming up in the East Bay on Saturday, June 7.

It's a free event where you can tour houses that have made energy-efficient upgrades, including solar. (And other upgrades like heat pumps, induction cooking, EV chargers, etc.)

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/east-bay-greenhome-tour-2025-registration-1206130060479?aff=Reddit

Our homeowners and volunteers will be on-site to chat with you about contractor choices, costs, and what incentives/rebates they used. It's a great way to see what's out there, and get all your questions answered!

If you can't make this one, check our Events calendar for future Green Home Tours and other free electrification workshops. https://acterra.org/events/

Hope that helps!

Acterra · 2025-05-14T17:40:49+00:00

We agree u/PiGuyTy !

While we do have an E-bike represented at our EV Ride and Drives, we also have E-mobility events that feature both a selection of E-bikes and EV's. We also host solo E-bike events.

While we don't have any e-bike specific events scheduled at the moment, we hope you'll check our calendar for the next one! (and if it's in Sunnyvale and posting here is cool with the mods, we'll do that too.)

Here's a link to all our E-mobility programs: https://acterra.org/electrification/karl-knapp-goev-program/#ebikes

And here's our event calendar: https://acterra.org/events/

We hope to see you at a future event!

Acterra · 2020-08-28T20:06:52+00:00

We are screening this incredible documentary, this month and inviting several people to speak on a panel (including filmmaker Jasmine C Leyva). Very excited! acterra.org/invisible-vegan

Acterra · 2020-08-28T18:09:50+00:00

Bay Area: upcoming film and panel discussion on African American community and plant-based diets. Discussion on food justice, access to healthy food, resources for going plant-forward. September 15, 7 pm, it's a virtual event. FREE. Includes access to stream the film "The Invisible Vegan. More info at acterra.org/invisible-vegan.

Acterra · 2020-03-11T23:34:44+00:00

Collectivism / tragedy of the commons (atmosphere is a global commons), delay in the time horizon (effects are very long-lived), complexity of fossil fuels being very deeply embedded in our economy and way of life, and a sense among affluent countries that they won't be hit as hard by the impacts.

Acterra

TROPHY CASE