Get all your EV questions answered during Drive Electric Week, Sep 27-Oct 6

Drive Electric Week kicks off this Saturday with nearly 200 online and in-person events celebrating electric vehicles. Events will take place over the next two weekends, from September 27 to October 6, in the US, Canada, and Guadalajara, Mexico.

Drive Electric Week is an annual event organized by Plug In America, the Electric Auto Association, EVHybridNoire, Drive Electric USA, and the Sierra Club. This is the 14th year of this event. It started in the US as National Electric Drive Week, but in the past few years, other events have been hosted in other countries as well.

These events are an opportunity for prospective EV buyers to talk directly with EV owners about the experience of owning an electric vehicle, and for EV owners to network with each other and share tips. The dealer experience is not ideal for many EV buyers, so unfiltered interviews with EV owners can be a good way to learn.

Each event is organized by local EV promoters, and varies in size from small parking lot meetings and local EVs to large festivals with multiple booths from local car dealers and green businesses. Be sure to check out each event page to see what your local events will look like and what types of EVs will be available.

Drive Electric Week has a map and list of events happening next week. Most events are in-person, but there are some online webinar-style events you can attend to hear about a variety of topics related to electric vehicles. You can also search for events near you.

Here's a sampling of other events happening throughout the week:

• Phoenix, AZ has a ride and drive on Sep28 from 8am-12pm, with a variety of cars available to test drive and a raffle drawing for anyone who participates in the test. There are also many registered EV owners who would be happy to talk about their EVs (including Fisker Ocean, that should be an interesting discussion…)
• Port Hueneme, CA will have an EV show at the Port Hueneme Banana Festival on Sep28 from 10am-5pm. There will be port tours, a children's area, live music, and banana-themed food. (Port Hueneme is also close to some of the largest EV charging station projects in the country, to help fuel port traffic)
• Midlothian, VA will host “Electricarpalooza” on Sep28 from 11:30am-6pm with talks, test drives from 5 manufacturers, EV and e-bike displays, and happy hour.

• Electric driving isn't just for the mainland states, as Juneau and Anchorage will both have events. Juneau will have its annual EV Roundup on Sep28 11:30am-1pm with EV, e-bike, and even outdoor electric displays, and Anchorage is holding a DC fast charger ribbon cutting on Oct4 from -12-1pm.
• Drive Electric Alabama hosts 4 events across the state, in Auburn, Birmingham, Huntsville and Foley.
• 4 different Hawaiian Islands have their own events, Koloa on Kauai, Honolulu and Aiea on O'ahu, Kahului on Maui, and Hilo on the Big Island.
• The only event in Mexico is in Guadalajara on Oct5 from 9am-4pm CST, and will take place at the Oscar Casillas Karting Track, where there will also be a race of student-built electric karts alongside an EV display and test drives.

• Canada's largest event will be held in Waterloo, Ontario on Oct5 from 11am-3pm. was the biggest event last year with many EVs on display, and the GM Brightdrop electric truck (made at GM's CAMI plant in Ingersoll, Ontario) will also be there.
• Schenectady, NY is hosting a New York Capital District event on Oct6 from 10am-2pm at Schenectady City Hall with test drives, live music and food trucks. More than 100 cars and 41 models are registered for the EV display, meaning this may be the largest event in the country (here's a video of last year's event).
• Fort Worth, TX has a variety of exhibitors confirmed for its Oct6 event from 10am-2pm. You'll see solar cars, golf carts, wind energy suppliers, local vendors and Harley's Livewire electric motorcycle, among others.

Not all events are big or hosted in big cities. There are also smaller events that happen in town, in church parking lots, etc., usually with a few EV owners who are usually happy to stop and chat with members of the community about what it's like to own a place. EV, or contact other local EV owners.

During the peak years of the COVID-19 pandemic, events have been in an all-online format, and when in-person events returned, they were a little more muted than the old days. But attendance is growing back to its former glory, and most are outdoors, so it's a great way to enjoy a nice weekend day before the cold returns (although we're not too worried about that part here in sunny Southern California).

A few online events are still available for those who don't have local events near them or are otherwise booked for the weekend. There is an EV 101 seminar, a discussion about charging EVs at work, and a talk about the benefits of EVs for consumers and businesses.

But especially in those online events, Electrek's The owner is Michelle Lewis will moderate Generation180's all-female panel “Ask an EV Owner” on Thursday, October 3, at noon eastern.

If you are interested in attending these events, or showing off your car, volunteering to help host the event, or just showing up and looking around, you can go to each event's page for more information. Remember to click on the “RSVP” or “Volunteer” links near the top to register your interest (or register at the links provided in the event description).

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