FIRST EVER Electric Vehicle Ride and Drive Hosted with the San Carlos Apache Tribe!
On Wednesday, April 23rd, DRIVE Electric Arizona made history by hosting the first-ever static electric vehicle informational display in San Carlos during the Earth Day Expo, in partnership with the San Carlos Apache Tribe. San Carlos, a community of approximately 4,769 residents as of 2023, welcomed us with enthusiasm as we connected with attendees and helped them discover what it’s really like to drive electric.
Our display featured an exciting lineup of vehicles — including the Chevrolet Bolt EUV, Kia EV6, Lucid Air, Rivian R1S, Rivian R1T, GMC Hummer EV, and a very special guest: an IC Bus Electric School Bus! One of the highlights of the day was seeing dozens of students with their teachers step aboard the electric bus to enjoy the powerful air conditioning — all without a single puff of toxic exhaust. Instead of fumes, the bus filled the air with cool breezes and the soft hum of fans, showcasing a cleaner, healthier future for school transportation.
At the event, attendees were invited to the FIRST EVER Electric Vehicle Ride and Drive hosted with the San Carlos Apache Tribe, held the next day in Bylas, AZ. In addition to vehicles seen the day prior, drivable vehicles included a Chevrolet Bolt, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Nissan Ariya, and Ford F-150 Lightning. For almost everyone, it was their very first time behind the wheel of an electric vehicle — and the smiles per mile were absolutely contagious!
Leading up to the event, DRIVE Electric Arizona President John Martinson and Vice President Peter Culin joined Christy Sangster-Begay of the San Carlos Apache Tribe Department of Environmental Protection for a 45-minute live, on-air radio discussion promoting the upcoming events. Their conversation helped build excitement, answer community questions, and spotlight the opportunities electric vehicles can bring to tribal communities.
A very special thank you to Christy Sangster-Begay for the invitation, her active participation, and outstanding community engagement that made these events possible.
Thanks also to Hans Klose, a member of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community and President of the Tribal Nations chapter of DRIVE Electric Arizona for his leadership.
We also extend a heartfelt thanks to our incredible DRIVE Electric Arizona volunteers, who generously took the time to share their vehicles, their knowledge, and their passion for electric driving with the community.
Additional thanks to RWC Group for hosting the IC Bus Electric School Bus display, and to San Tan Ford for providing vehicles and volunteers to help support the Ride and Drive experience.
Thank you to the San Carlos Apache Tribe and everyone who joined us to help spark a cleaner, brighter, electric future!
📸See below for exciting photos capturing these historic moments!
Photo Credit: Shaun Barnette, Peter Culin
🌟 Stay tuned for more exciting EV events across Arizona — visit driveelectricaz.org/events!
