FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 4, 2019
Contact:
Noah Barnes, Plug In America, nbarnes@pluginamerica.org
Larisa Manescu, Sierra Club, larisa.manescu@sierraclub.org
Ninth annual National Drive Electric Week kicks off September 14-22
Hundreds of events highlight significant environmental and consumer benefits of electric vehicles
Nationwide — The ninth annual National Drive Electric Week (NDEW), a coast-to-coast celebration of electric vehicles (EVs), will be held this month September 14-22 as public interest in EVs grows across geography and income level. Over 60 percent of prospective car buyers in the U.S. are interested in EVs, according to a recent survey by Consumer Reports and the Union of Concerned Scientists.
This year, there are currently over 300 registered NDEW events – with more being added each day – across the United States, as well as Canada, Australia, Belgium, Mexico and New Zealand. Through test drives, parades, news conferences, and the announcements of new EV policies and programs, NDEW events demonstrate how EVs are more fun to drive, provide clean air for communities across the nation, reduce greenhouse gases, produce domestic jobs, and save consumers money compared to conventional vehicles.
NDEW is presented by national organizers Plug In America, the Sierra Club, and the Electric Auto Association. Nissan LEAF is the exclusive automotive sponsor of NDEW. ClipperCreek and the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project are silver level sponsors. Enel X is a California regional sponsor and DTE Energy is a bronze level Michigan regional sponsor.
To learn more about National Drive Electric Week, visit DriveElectricWeek.org.
Event Highlights:
- Los Angeles, California (Sept. 14): Hosted by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), along with EV advocacy organizations, this LA event will have opportunities for people to test drive a variety of EV models and get information about local incentive programs like LADWP’s “Charge Up LA” rebate program for used EV purchases and home chargers.
- Poolesville, Maryland (Sept. 21): One of the biggest NDEW events on the East Coast, local organizers are expecting thousands of attendees to come out to this year’s event, organized by non-profit Poolesville Green and supported by local organizations like One Montgomery Green (OMG), MD Volt, Electric Vehicles Association of Greater Washington, DC (EVA/DC), and others.
- Atlanta, Georgia (Sept. 21): This Southeast event – expected to attract thousands of attendees – will have over 200 diverse EV owners showing their vehicles and sharing their experiences, as well as special appearances by national EV influencers. Organizers include the EV Club of the South and EVHybridNoire, an organization that focuses on increasing the number of diverse EV drivers and addressing the specific needs of disadvantaged communities through education, awareness, advocacy, data collection, and providing resources and access to underserved communities around affordable, clean, and sustainable transportation.
- Irving, Texas (Sept. 21): Organized by the North Central Texas Council of Governments and Dallas Fort Worth Clean Cities, this event in the Dallas suburbs is the biggest display of EVs in Texas.
“National Drive Electric Week is the perfect opportunity to see just how great electric vehicles are,” said Joel Levin, executive director of Plug In America. “With more than one million EVs sold in the United States and dozens of models available, there’s one for every family. At National Drive Electric Week events, visitors can talk to real-life EV drivers in their community and find out why most will never go back to a gas car!”
“As the leading source of emissions nationwide, vehicle pollution is running rampant across the country, worsening climate change and negatively impacting the health of front-line communities and vulnerable populations such as women, children, and the elderly, ” said Hieu Le, a campaign representative with Sierra Club’s Clean Transportation for All campaign. “We desperately need a clean transportation revolution, and there’s nothing more powerful than hearing the experiences of electric vehicle drivers firsthand to help demystify the technology, accelerate mass adoption, and combat climate change.”
“We know that consumers are curious about electric cars,” said Raejean Fellows, President of the Electric Auto Association. “National Drive Electric Week is that special time when consumers are given the opportunity to get the inside scoop on charging, incentives and how the cars perform directly from the owners who drive electric. For free. With no pressure to buy. Millions across the United States and around the globe have found their way to cleaner, fueled electric cars. You can too. Be curious, talk to an EV owner, try an electric car. You will experience a better way to drive… forward into the future.”
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About Plug In America: Plug In America is the nation’s leading independent consumer voice for accelerating the use of plug-in electric vehicles in the United States. Formed as a non-profit in 2008, Plug In America provides practical, objective information collected from our coalition of plug-in vehicle drivers, through public outreach and education, policy work and a range of technical advisory services. Our expertise represents the world’s deepest pool of experience of driving and living with plug-in vehicles. We drive electric. You can too. PlugInAmerica.org
About the Sierra Club: The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person’s right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.
About the Electric Auto Association: The Electric Auto Association (EAA) is the oldest and largest, volunteer-driven nonprofit association that promotes electric vehicle adoption across the country and the globe. Its thousands of EV owners educate and advocate for electric vehicles with public outreach throughout the year at farmer’s markets, malls, schools, libraries, businesses, and civic groups. Members in more than 80 chapters meet regularly to share the latest global and local news in the EV community. EAA provides information for local governments to increase EV adoption as well as infrastructure. www.electricauto.org
