The legendary Batmobile will join more than 30 hybrid vehicles on display as part of “EVs at EV” — Electric Vehicles at Escape Velocity. The exhibit will be an adjunct showcase adjacent to Escape Velocity, the three-day celebration hosted by the Museum of Science Fiction. Escape Velocity takes place Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 24 through 26 at the Gaylord National Resort in Fort Washington, MD. EVs at EV will take place on the Orchard Terrace, just outside the main exhibit hall. The display is open to all Escape Velocity ticket holders.
Built from scratch by Burtonsville resident Bill Gibson, the Batmobile was featured in a singular episode of Sticker Shock which ran on the Discovery Channel and Motor Trend TV and also appeared in the background of several other episodes. The vehicle has also been featured in several local community celebrations including the Silver Spring Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Olney Days Parade, the Burtonsville Day Parade and the Laytonsville Parade, among others.
EVs at EV is designed to showcase the emergence of electric and hybrid vehicles across multiple platforms, from law enforcement and autonomous travel to everyday consumer use.
Among the featured vehicles will be the nation’s first electric vehicle retrofitted into a fleet of active duty police vehicles. Presently in operation with the Hyattsville (MD) Police Department, Sergeant Richard Hartnett will showcase one of the city’s Chevrolet Bolt Electric Police Cars. While many police departments across the country are using electric vehicles for non-patrol work such as administrative or parking enforcement, Hartnett says he’s not aware of any fully electric vehicles being used for regular patrol duty, mostly due to range concerns. With 238 miles on a single charge, the Bolt EV was the first vehicle of its kind capable of meeting the Hyattsville’s highly specialized performance requirements.
Tesla will also be onsite, demonstrating their 2019 Tesla Model S, 2019 Tesla Model X and a 2019 Tesla Model 3.
The Tesla Model S was the undisputed pioneer of the current luxury electric-vehicle boom that combines glamour and performance with efficiency. Capable of operating in two modes – Performance and Ludicrous (use your imagination here!) – the vehicle is fast, powerful and packed with technology.
With dual motors delivering digitally controlled torque to both the front and rear wheels, the 2019 Tesla Model S is touted as having the fastest acceleration of any production vehicle, capable of reaching 0-to-60 in 2.4 seconds.
Other vehicles on display will include:
- Chevrolet Bolt
- Chevrolet Volt
- Chevy Spark EV
- Fiat 500e
- Nissan LEAF
- Smart fortwo electric drive (“Hello Kitty”)
- Tesla Model 3
- Tesla Model S
- Tesla Model X
- Tesla Roadster
- Think City
The Electric Vehicles will only be on display Saturday only, (rain or shine), from 11 am until 3 pm on the Orchard Terrace. The Batmobile, EV Police Bolt and the Tesla Model X will be on display indoors (on the Exhibit Hall floor) for the full duration of the show.
Escape Velocity features a variety of programming throughout the open hours of the show. Friday sessions run from 10:00 a.m. until past Midnight; Saturday show hours start at 9:00 a.m. and conclude with a Midnight film showing of Plan Nine from Outer Space and Sunday runs from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Three-day weekend pass tickets, priced $30 for youths (aged 11-16), $50 for adults and $100 for the full VIP treatment, are available through the Escape Velocity website or onsite at the Gaylord Convention Center. Ten-dollar PAY IT FORWARD tickets allow patrons to donate a single-day admission for an under-served youth in the Washington, DC metro area.
