Each year, Plug In America presents the Drive Electric Awards to people and organizations that are leading the electric vehicle movement.

Nominations are submitted by Plug In America supporters, and the winners are selected by a committee comprised of Plug In America board members. The winners are presented with an award at the Drive Electric Awards Reception in the fall.

Awards | Nomination information | Past recipients

drive electric awardsAward categories

Linda Nicholes Lifetime Achievement Award

This award recognizes an outstanding pioneer in the EV movement. This person has been working to further EV adoption through policy, technology or outreach for at least 15 years.

Individual Award

This award recognizes an individual that has contributed significantly to the EV movement in areas including, but not limited to, technology development, policy / advocacy or education / outreach.

Organization Award

This award recognizes an organization that has contributed significantly to the EV movement in areas including, but not limited to, technology development, policy / advocacy or education / outreach.

City Captain Award

This award recognizes an outstanding event organizer for National Drive Electric Week and/or Drive Electric Earth Day. Considerations include years of service, number of events produced, size and reach of events, number of ride-and-drives, innovation, and other outstanding attributes.

Advocate Award

This award recognizes an individual that has advocated for or influenced policies that benefit the electric vehicle movement.

Student Award

This award recognizes a full-time student that has contributed significantly to the EV movement in areas including, but not limited to, education / outreach, policy / advocacy, or technology development.

EV City Award

This award recognizes a city that has been a leader in the EV movement and taken significant action to increase EV adoption.

EV Marketing / Awareness Award

This award recognizes outstanding achievement in increasing awareness of EVs and their features, attributes, or benefits. Examples of considered work include websites, social media, videos, music, advertising, or other communications. Nominated works may be professionally or independently produced.

Utility Award

This award recognizes a utility that demonstrated outstanding support of the EV movement and facilitated EV programs to increase the adoption of EVs.

Nomination process

Anyone may submit nominations for the Drive Electric Awards. The deadline for 2023 nominations has passed. Nominations must be a minimum of 300 words to be considered. Self-nominations are welcome. The selection committee comprised of Plug In America board members and EV advocates will select the winners from among the nominees. The committee reserves the right to modify the final awards to name more than one winner or no winner for individual categories, move an entry to a different category, and add categories depending on the nominations received. Text and materials collected in the nomination forms may be used for public outreach purposes. We encourage winners to participate in the awards presentation in Los Angeles in person or by submitting a video message.

Past recipients

2023 Winners


Lifetime Achievement Awards: Will Beckett and U.S. Senator Tom Carper

Advocate Award: U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer

Organization Award: The Hertz Corporation and Francis Energy

EV City: Phoenix, Arizona

EV Awareness Award: Joyce Breiner and Rap Hankins

Individual Award: Carleen Cullen, Mayor Rey León, Philip Jones and Minh Le

City Captain Awards: Kate Kruk and Barry Rands

Student Award: Anthony Asuncion

2023 Winners


Lifetime Achievement Awards: Will Beckett and U.S. Senator Tom Carper

Advocate Award: U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer

Organization Award: The Hertz Corporation and Francis Energy

EV City: Phoenix, Arizona

EV Awareness Award: Joyce Breiner and Rap Hankins

Individual Award: Carleen Cullen, Mayor Rey León, Philip Jones and Minh Le

City Captain Awards: Kate Kruk and Barry Rands

Student Award: Anthony Asuncion

2022 Winners


Lifetime Achievement Awards: Kathy Lynch and Paul Scott

EV Leadership Award: U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg

Individual Award: Mary Brazell

Organization Award: Clean Cities

Utility Award: PSE&G

EV City: Portland, Oregon

City Captain Awards: Robert Fernatt and Paul Pancella

Student Award: Tyler Wittmann

2022 Winners


Lifetime Achievement Awards: Kathy Lynch and Paul Scott

EV Leadership Award: U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg

Individual Award: Mary Brazell

Organization Award: Clean Cities

Utility Award: PSE&G

EV City: Portland, Oregon

City Captain Awards: Robert Fernatt and Paul Pancella

Student Award: Tyler Wittmann

2021 Winners


Lifetime Achievement Award: Dr. Andy Frank

Individual Award: Elaine Borseth

Individual Award: Tom Saxton

Organization Award: Electric Auto Association, now the Electric Vehicle Association

Utility Award: Southern California Edison

City Captain Award: Susan Goodwin

Advocate Award: Congressman Lloyd Doggett

Advocate Award: Nevada State Senator Chris Brooks

Student Award: Javier Sainz

Awareness Award: Leilani Münter

Awareness Award: John Voelcker

EV City: New York City, New York

2021 Winners


Lifetime Achievement Award: Dr. Andy Frank

Individual Award: Elaine Borseth

Individual Award: Tom Saxton

Organization Award: Electric Auto Association, now the Electric Vehicle Association

Utility Award: Southern California Edison

City Captain Award: Susan Goodwin

Advocate Award: Congressman Lloyd Doggett

Advocate Award: Nevada State Senator Chris Brooks

Student Award: Javier Sainz

Awareness Award: Leilani Münter

Awareness Award: John Voelcker

EV City: New York City, New York

2020 Winners


Lifetime Achievement Award: Linda Nicholes

Individual Award: Kathy Kinsey, Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management

Individual Award: Jukka Kukkonen

Organization Award: EVHybridNoire

Utility Award: Sacramento Municipal Utility District

City Captain Award: Kenny Bergstrom

City Captain Award: Gary Exner

Advocate Award: Jeff Finn

Advocate Award: Gov. Jay Inslee

Student Award: Ryan Hunter

EV Marketing / Awareness Award: Fully Charged

EV City: Denver, Colorado

2020 Winners


Lifetime Achievement Award: Linda Nicholes

Individual Award: Kathy Kinsey, Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management

Individual Award: Jukka Kukkonen

Organization Award: EVHybridNoire

Utility Award: Sacramento Municipal Utility District

City Captain Award: Kenny Bergstrom

City Captain Award: Gary Exner

Advocate Award: Jeff Finn

Advocate Award: Gov. Jay Inslee

Student Award: Ryan Hunter

EV Marketing / Awareness Award: Fully Charged

EV City: Denver, Colorado

2019 Winners


Lifetime Achievement Award: Gabrielle & Kenneth Adelman

Lifetime Achievement Award: Chelsea Sexton

Individual Award: Chuck Caisley, Kansas City Power & Light

Individual Award: Andrea Pratt, City of Seattle

Organization Award: Smart Columbus

Utility Award: Austin Energy

City Captain Award: Kitty Adams

City Captain Award: Duff Mitchell

City Captain Award: JD Taylor

Advocate Award: Patty Monahan

Student Award: Samuel Bona

Student Award: Russell Corbin

EV Marketing / Awareness Award: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield

EV City: Los Angeles, California

2019 Winners


Lifetime Achievement Award: Gabrielle & Kenneth Adelman

Lifetime Achievement Award: Chelsea Sexton

Individual Award: Chuck Caisley, Kansas City Power & Light

Individual Award: Andrea Pratt, City of Seattle

Organization Award: Smart Columbus

Utility Award: Austin Energy

City Captain Award: Kitty Adams

City Captain Award: Duff Mitchell

City Captain Award: JD Taylor

Advocate Award: Patty Monahan

Student Award: Samuel Bona

Student Award: Russell Corbin

EV Marketing / Awareness Award: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield

EV City: Los Angeles, California

2018 Winners


Individual Award: Denise Gray, LG Chem Power, Inc.

Individual Award: Janea Scott, California Energy Commission

Organization Award: University of California San Diego

City Captain Award: Charles Gerena

City Captain Award: Noel Morin

City Captain Award: Dick Muri

2018 Winners


Individual Award: Denise Gray, LG Chem Power, Inc.

Individual Award: Janea Scott, California Energy Commission

Organization Award: University of California San Diego

City Captain Award: Charles Gerena

City Captain Award: Noel Morin

City Captain Award: Dick Muri

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