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ABOUT US
DRIVE Electric Arizona is Arizona's statewide "Drive Electric" program developed as an Arizona non-profit corporation under the DRIVE Electric USA Initiative. With grant funding from the Department of Energy, and in partnership with 27 states across the country, DRIVE Electric Arizona's mission is to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles. Currently, DRIVE Electric Arizona’s three chapters are Valley of the Sun, Three Rivers Tribes, and Route 66 Kingman.
Launched in January 2024, the all-volunteer organization and its partners educate consumers, utilities, utility regulators, and government officials. They engage auto dealers and fleet leaders, in addition to assisting with EV infrastructure planning.
WATT-A TEAM!
We had such a fabulous spring - filled with fun EVents, cool cars, and new friends. It was a whirlwind few weeks and we owe the DRIVE Electric Arizona community a debt of gratitude for making it so special. Thank you to our volunteers and sponsors who brought cars, friends, family, and great mojo to so many EVents. Your tremendous support has resulted in an exciting uptick in our social media followers and email subscribers.
14 EVENTS IN 32 DAYS
DRIVE Electric Arizona sponsored, co-sponsored, or otherwise participated in 14 events during Drive Electric Earth Month (DEEM) between April 3rd and May 5th. It was an ambitious and rewarding effort that could not have been achieved without the remarkable support of our sponsors and volunteers. Thank you for your engagement and enthusiasm! Read about our awesome spring EVents!
JESSICA MAY JOINS DRIVE ELECTRIC ARIZONA BOARD
Please help us welcome Jessica May to the DRIVE Electric Arizona Board of Directors. Jessica is co-chair of the Route 66 Kingman chapter. Learn more about Jessica and her passion for EVs! |
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DRIVE ELECTRIC ARIZONA CHAPTER UPDATES |
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VALLEY OF THE SUN CHAPTER
RECORD-BREAKING 2024 RIDE AND DRIVES On April 20th, more than 300 people attended the Phoenix Ride & Drive that was co-hosted by the City of Phoenix and Valley of the Sun Clean Cities Coalition. The event featured 26 static display vehicles and 16 ride & drive vehicles, providing 116 drives. In addition, Wells Fargo sponsored a special event with the donation of a brand new Kia Niro EV to a Gold Star spouse, drawing media coverage from Fox 10 and Arizona Family Channel 3. |
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On April 27th, DRIVE Electric Arizona partnered with Salt River Project (SRP) who hosted a public ride & drive event at the SRP project administration building in Tempe. The event featured 19 static display vehicles and 16 ride & drive vehicles, providing 126 drives. More than 250 people attended the event. Live media coverage was provided by Arizona Family Channel 3 and ABC 15 news. |
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THREE RIVERS TRIBES CHAPTER
DRIVE Electric Arizona’s Three Rivers Tribes Chapter is off to a strong start. At the launch on April 6—a three-event day with static displays at We-Ko-Pa at Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, Talking Stick at Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, and Wild Horse Pass at Gila River Indian Community from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM. |
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On April 20th, Three Rivers Tribes presented a static display at SRPMIC’s Earth Day event. Chapter President Hans Klose and DRIVE Electric Arizona Board Member Carl Knapp provided a 3-vehicle display with a Rivian R1T, a Tesla Model 3, and sponsor SRP’s Ford F-150 Lightning. Over 200 tribal members visited the display and some good conversations about infrastructure and tribal fleet vehicles ensued.
Then, on May 4th, DRIVE Electric Arizona’s President John Martinson and his daughter, Eco Martinson, set up the Three Rivers Tribes’ feather flag with a Rivian R1T and Ford Mustang Mach-E at Peach Springs (the Hualapai tribal center) during the Historic Route 66 FUN RUN and were visited by 118 unique contacts. |
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(left to right) Tanya Hughes (SRP), Jonathan Overly (DRIVE Electric USA), Don Covert (Valley of the Sun Clean Cities Coalition), Grace McGinnis (US Department of Energy), and Peter Culin, Hans Klose, and John Martinson (DRIVE Electric Arizona) at the Three Rivers Tribes launch event on April 6, 2024. |
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ROUTE 66 KINGMAN CHAPTER
DRIVE Electric Arizona’s Route 66 Kingman Chapter launched on May 4th at the SHOW N SHINE car show in Kingman during the Historic Route 66 FUN RUN. The EV event drew 3,000 visitors from the mostly ICE crowd to see our 16 EVs including a Tesla Cybertruck, and the chapter and DRIVE Electric volunteers met with nearly 1,400 attendees. |
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FUN RUN AWARD WINNERS Congratulations to this year’s Fun Run award winners! |
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 | Best Fun Run EV Photo by Adam Draper |
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The following awards were presented by DRIVE Electric Arizona:
John Morrill Award - Most Knowledgeable EV Owner | Nathan Culin
Most Bespoke EV | Eco Martinson, 2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E “Shadow”
Historic Electric Vehicle Foundation Award - Best Vintage EV | Jessica and Mike May, 2018 Tesla Model 3
Route 66 Kingman EV Dealer of the Year | Martin Swanty Kia, Kingman
Route 66 EV Photo Award - Best Fun Run EV Photo | Adam Draper
The following awards were presented by the Historic Route 66 Association on Sunday morning during the Route 66 Awards Ceremony:
Best EV Car | Neil Tracht, 2022 Lucid Air Grand Touring
Best EV Truck | Brian Perkins, 2024 Tesla Cybertruck Foundation Series
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DRIVE ELECTRIC ARIZONA IN THE NEWS Visit the media section of our website to see more local and national news about our organization and electric vehicles.
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| BETTER TOGETHER
DRIVE Electric Arizona recently joined Arizona Impact for Good, a membership organization devoted to uniting nonprofits and philanthropy across the state. As new members, we now have access to high quality training, networking, and collaborative partnerships to help advance our mission to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles.
We are working with Arizona Impact for Good to strengthen our all-volunteer efforts related to fundraising, grant writing, and organizational development. Please reach out if you'd like to help DRIVE Electric Arizona grow in these areas! |
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EASY WAYS TO HELP
As we work to grow Arizona's EV community, there are many easy ways to support DRIVE Electric Arizona. Please share this newsletter with your peeps, engage on our social media sites, and participate in EVents. With your help, we are heightening awareness about DRIVE Electric Arizona and our three growing chapters: Valley of the Sun, Three Rivers Tribes, and Route 66 Kingman. |
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Thank you for lending your time and enthusiasm to help DRIVE Electric Arizona advance its mission. Your involvement is critical to the explosive growth we are experiencing in our inaugural year.
WE LOVE OUR VOLUNTEERS |
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#VOTSEVA
#3RT
#Route66EV
#driveelectric
#zeroemissions |
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| #electricvehicle
#eva
#deaz
#electrified |
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| Charge On!
John S Martinson and Peter Culin
Co-Founders
DRIVE Electric Arizona
Valley of the Sun Electric Vehicle Association |
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