- Chris Koos,
Town of Normal mayor
Mitsubishi Motors unveiled their new digital campaign for the new Mitsubishi electric i-MiEV. A commercial featuring the Town of Normal as Electric Vehicle Town, or EVTown, with electric cars driving through popular places such as Carl’s Ice Cream Factory, Normal Theater and other Uptown destinations, debuted Oct. 10.
What made this campaign special for residents of Bloomington-Normal is the teaming up with Mitsubishi to buy 1,000 electric cars and install over 30 charging stations around the area to make the first model electric vehicle community.
“We have two cars right now plus a few fleet vehicles. There will be a major roll out next year and we will have 1,000 cars over the next two and a half years,” Chris Koos, mayor of the Town of Normal, said.
Koos was also featured in the commercial. Sitting at his desk, he said, “EVTown is the concept of a community to embrace new technology in an environmentally sound way.”
As of Oct. 16, the “Welcome to the New Normal” commercial had over 35,000 views.
“The commercial represents the Town of Normal really accurately. The producers were in the community for a couple of weeks planning for the shoot. No one was scripted in the commercial,” Koos said.
Matt Tomlin, senior renewable energy major and Student Government Association Secretary of Sustainability, appeared in the commercial while driving the i-MiEV through Carl’s Ice Cream Factory drive-thru. Hearing about the commercial after running into Mayor Koos, he auditioned and received the role.
“Mayor Koos is very into going green and I think it’s great! Considering the impact our every day lives have on the natural environment is critical to allowing future generations to enjoy the same opportunities we have,” Tomlin said.
Tomlin is working to add more sustainable projects around town and campus. This year, SGA is allocating $90,000 for sustainable projects on campus.
“As [chairman], I have reached out to the Town of Normal about having solar panels attached to the Electric Vehicle charging stations located on campus,” he added.
Tomlin explained he thinks the “New Normal” commercial will spread and help the community and ISU set itself apart from other college towns.
“The great thing about this program being rolled out in a town with a large, public university is that students who are graduating will take the experience of having lived in an EVTown with them when they move away,” Tomlin said. “Hopefully they will recognize the positive environmental impacts of this type of initiative, and work to make similar programs a reality in the towns they live after graduation.”