In 1991, Orcas Island was chosen as one of 13 sites in the US to participate in a Department of Energy study to see how electric vehicles (EVs) performed in real use. At the time, EVs were limited in speed and range, but neither was a concern with Orcas Island's small size and narrow roads. Several Orcas residents bought EVs or converted their gasoline cars to electric, and most reported being happy with the switch. By 1997, the study had ended but 12 EVs remained in use on the island, giving it the highest ratio of EVs to gasoline cars of any place in the US (750 gasoline to 1 EV).

This image shows Bill Culliton, the assistant manager of Orcas Power and a driving force behind the EV study. Culliton is charging one of Orcas Power's EVs using one of the six charging stations installed by the utility as part of the study. The station uses a standard parking meter to accept coins and measure time. One hour of charging time cost 25 cents.

Caption information source: "Orcas Island all juiced up about its electric cars," by Don Carter, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, March 8, 1997, page A1.