In the Driver’s Seat Blog

This has been another successful year for the movement toward greater electric vehicle adoption. As 2019 is coming to an end, let’s take a look back at some of the notable moments for EVs and Plug In America. New EV models: long-range all-electrics Just one year ago, there were only[…]

This April marks the 50th anniversary of the first Earth Day, a time to reflect on the devastating effects of climate change and celebrate the ways that we can protect our environment. Quite possibly, the single greatest action that an individual can take to reduce climate change is switching from[…]

On Tuesday, October 29, Plug In America honored four Arizona organizations that are leading the electric-vehicle transition in the state at the inaugural Drive Electric Arizona Awards. The awards were presented at the Arizona Transportation Electrification Forum, which brought together key players in Arizona’s growing electric-vehicle marketplace, including EV manufacturers, decision-makers,[…]

The federal government is rolling back fuel efficiency standards set by the Obama Administration and revoking California’s ability to set stricter vehicle emission standards, including the zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate. On Friday, September 27, the Environmental Protection Agency and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration officially published the new Clean Car[…]

Over the next several months, auto shows will be taking place across the country. This can be a great opportunity to see some of the electric vehicles available in your state. As the EV industry is gaining momentum, more auto shows are inclusive in showcasing EVs. The Plug In America[…]

This year, four new all-electric vehicles were released, the Audi e-tron, Hyundai Kona Electric, Jaguar I-PACE, and Kia Niro EV. Now that they have been on the market for several months, we asked our supporters that are driving these cars to share their experiences with these vehicles. Kia Niro EV[…]

Earlier this year, Plug In America launched the EV Support Program, which provides assistance to those with questions about electric vehicles, charging, incentives, and more. Anyone may access this service one time for free, but supporters who donate at the bronze level or higher receive unlimited access. We’ve received numerous[…]

PlugStar, Plug In America’s consumer and dealer engagement program, makes the EV shopping experience easier. On PlugStar.com, car buyers compare EVs, shop equipment and services, and connect with trained PlugStar dealers to make choosing an EV simple and pain free. Here are some helpful features on PlugStar.com to better enhance[…]

A common misconception around electric vehicles is that they’re too expensive for average Americans. Here, we compare the true costs of driving an EV compared to gas cars. Sticker price According to Kelley Blue Book, the average price of a new car in the United States in September 2019 was[…]

A number of new EV models came out this year, including the Hyundai Kona Electric, Kia Niro EV, Audi e-tron, and Jaguar I-PACE. If you’re among the first to be driving one of these, we’d like to hear about your experience! Share your feedback and we may include your response[…]

On September 16, during National Drive Electric Week, Drive Electric New Hampshire organized the Granite State’s first Charge Forward EV Relay that would travel 267 miles over the course of a day through New Hampshire from Colebrook to Portsmouth. While many drivers participated for a segment or two, and we[…]

During this year’s National Drive Electric Week, I traveled to Longmont, Colorado and Dallas, Texas to meet EV supporters in those areas, both of which are exciting places for EV adoption.   Longmont, Colorado is a small city adjacent to its more famous sister Boulder, and a bit north of[…]

We would like to thank Nissan for making a generous donation of a 2018 Nissan LEAF to Plug In America! The car, which has been wrapped with the Plug In America logo, will be put to great use as a display vehicle at ride-and-drive events, giving many visitors their first[…]

We know that a common problem for many EV consumers living in multi-unit dwellings is the difficulty of having access to charging. After the publishing the recent blog post, Installing electric vehicle charging in an apartment or condo building, two of our supporters generously shared their experiences with us in[…]

On Friday, August 16, the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission adopted the zero-emissions vehicle (ZEV) program, joining California and nine other states that already have a ZEV program. This is a huge step forward, as Colorado is the first state to adopt such a program in a decade and other[…]

Plug In America’s EV Support Program provides personalized assistance to those with questions about electric vehicles, charging, incentives, and more. Anyone may access this service one time for free and Plug In America members have unlimited access. To get your EV questions answered by phone or email, contact the EV[…]

A common problem for apartment and condo dwellers that want to drive electric is a lack of access to charging. Installing charging in a multi-unit dwelling (MUD) can be difficult, but it is possible. The California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) recently released a guidebook to help[…]

On July 4, Plug In America held the first annual Independence Day EV Count. Plug In America supporters across the United States ventured out into their neighborhoods to count how many EVs they can find. In total, we counted 13,750 cars, of which 569 (4.14%) were electric vehicles. All-electric vehicles[…]

While there have been more than one million electric vehicles sold in the United States, there are still some common misconceptions that many Americans have. We, as EV drivers, can help address these and educate people about the benefits of driving electric. What other misconceptions have you encountered? Let us[…]

Plug In America’s largest EV education campaign, National Drive Electric Week (NDEW), September 14-22, is gearing up for another successful year! Last year’s NDEW included 321 events in all 50 states and we hope to reach even more communities this year! If you can’t create a large-scale event, here are[…]

Considering an electric vehicle but not sure what options are available? Plug In America’s popular Electric Vehicle Guide lists 40 currently available all-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles with the retail price and mileage range, as of June 2019. The guide is available to download as a PDF. To compare vehicles[…]

Just one year ago, if you wanted an all-electric vehicle that could travel more than 200 miles on a single charge, you were limited to a Tesla or the Chevy Bolt. Today, there are as many as nine different options, with five of them starting at under $40,000. And if[…]

Spring has sprung and so has EV policy at the federal level in 2019. Plug In America has been working to advance EV policy and educate more members of Congress on the benefits of driving electric and electrifying the transportation sector. Our top priority is securing more co-sponsors for the[…]

Celebrate your freedom from oil this Independence Day! Plug In America is organizing the first annual Independence Day EV Count. Inspired by the National Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count, we invite you, EV drivers and supporters, to get out into your neighborhood and count how many EVs you see. How[…]

In addition to our major national events, National Drive Electric Week and Drive Electric Earth Day, the Plug In America team also promotes and educates the public about electric vehicles (EVs) through ride-and-drive events all year long. So far, in 2019, we have produced 22 events with more than 1,000[…]

Many automotive museums feature classic electric vehicles, from early 1900s models up to the EV1 and beyond. Below are some locations where you can view impressive EVs! We recommend calling each museum before your visit to ensure the vehicles you want to see are on display. If you know a[…]

With summer around the corner, EV drivers across America will soon be taking to the roads in droves to head out on warm weather road trips. Taking a road trip in an electric car can be a much superior experience to a gas car—if you know what steps to take.[…]

With summer around the corner, EV drivers across America will soon be taking to the roads in droves to head out on warm weather road trips. Taking a road trip in an electric car can be a much superior experience to a gas car—if you know what steps to take.[…]

On Thursday, May 2, Plug In America hosted the third annual Capitol Hill EV Ride & Drive for members of Congress and their staff, in partnership with the Senate Auto Caucus. The event included the latest models of plug-in vehicles and showed elected officials why driving electric is a better[…]

Plug In America has reached out to the declared presidential candidates, asking their views about electric vehicles and, specifically, if they will commit to a full transition of new plug-in electric cars and trucks by 2040. But you can help us get the candidates’ attention! Please reach out to the[…]

With Earth Day right around the corner, let’s take a look at strides in the environmental sustainability of electric car manufacturing. This week, Audi showcased its new “green” factory in Brussels that is mass producing the Audi e-tron, an all-electric long-range SUV. This factory is on the forefront of automotive[…]

Our family just bought another EV—a gently used 2012 Chevy Volt—and we love it. That’s not to say that we love our 2015 LEAF any less, in the same way that you can love each of your children differently, without necessarily picking a favorite. We at Plug In America have[…]

A quick look at the electric cars hitting dealerships this year reveals an interesting trend: they are long-range all-electrics. The number of upcoming plug-in hybrid electric models is dwarfed by this wave of all-electric long-range cars and SUVs. While many of them are high-performance luxury models, even affordable makes like[…]

San Antonio is making headlines with its new climate action plan, which aims to phase out internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles by 2050, including all passenger and commercial vehicles. San Antonio isn’t the only city to consider such a ban; Paris, Madrid, Athens, London, and Copenhagen have all announced similar[…]

As you may know, the $7,500 federal EV tax credit begins phasing out for an automaker’s vehicles once they have sold 200,000 electric vehicles. Tesla and GM have already hit that cap, while Nissan and Ford have surpassed the 100,000 mark. Plug In America continues to advocate for modifying the[…]

We recently launched the Plug In America EV Support Program, which connects current and potential EV drivers with experts to answer questions about vehicles, charging, incentives and more. This service is a benefit for Plug In America members, but anyone may access the service one time for free. We’ve received[…]

The polar vortex is in full swing and drivers everywhere are finding out their cars don’t love the frigid temperatures. All cars, both gas and electric, use more energy in cold weather, which yields reduced gas mileage and shorter electric range. For most electric vehicle drivers, this isn’t necessarily a[…]

Electric vehicles and charging have always had a chicken and the egg relationship. What should we build first? Should we focus on building out a massive public charging network in hopes that it speeds up EV adoption or will simply selling millions of EVs spawn the creation of a dense,[…]

Last week, Gov. Jared Polis of Colorado signed a executive order that contained many positive initiatives promoting electric vehicles. The state had already taken steps toward transportation electrification, including a $5,000 EV tax credit and a goal of 940,000 EVs on the road by 2030. This executive order builds upon[…]

The big electric car news out of Detroit these days is GM’s decision to make Cadillac their leading electric brand. Starting in 2021, GM will be launching the “BEV3” platform as an all-electric long range Cadillac. The BEV3 platform (GM terminology, the Voltec Gen 1 & 2 being the Volt,[…]

On Tuesday, December 18, a coalition of Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states (Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Virginia) and the District of Columbia announced their intention to develop a low-carbon transportation strategy. Transportation accounts for approximately 28% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the United[…]