Two Years on the Road: How DRIVE Electric Arizona Accelerated EV Awareness Across the State
What began as a handful of community meetups has evolved into one of the most consistent and impactful grassroots EV outreach efforts in the country—turning curiosity into confidence, and questions into people putting their hands on the wheel and their foot on the accelerator. Over the past two years, our volunteers, partners, and supporters helped thousands of Arizonans discover what it feels like to drive electric and why the future of transportation is already here.
A Statewide Movement in Motion
In just 24 months, our team delivered an extraordinary level of public engagement:
19 Formal Ride & Drive Events
From Phoenix to Flagstaff, Sedona to the San Carlos Apache Tribe, our Ride & Drives brought electric vehicles directly to the people. No hype—just hands-on experience with the technology transforming transportation.1,024 Test Drives Completed
That’s nearly a thousand opportunities where Arizonans sat behind the wheel of an EV, asked real questions, and felt the difference for themselves. Nothing changes minds faster than silent acceleration, instant torque, and zero tailpipe emissions.25,224 People Directly Reached
These are individuals we spoke to face-to-face—at events, booths, classrooms, libraries, fairs, and rallies—helping families, renters, retirees, and first-time buyers understand what it truly means to drive electric.410,376 Estimated Onsite Impressions
This is our passive audience—people who saw our EV displays, our educational signage, our wrapped vehicles, and our volunteers in action. Each impression is a spark of awareness. Each spark keeps Arizona’s transition moving forward.
Why These Numbers Matter
Electric vehicle adoption grows through proximity and familiarity. When people see EVs, sit in them, plug them in, or talk to owners who drive them every day, the myths evaporate:
Range anxiety fades
Charging becomes understandable
Cost savings become real
Clean air becomes personal
Our events have become more than rides—they are transformational experiences.
A Unique Arizona Formula
No other state combines:
✔ EV drivers passionate enough to volunteer
✔ Partnerships across utilities, nonprofits, tribal governments, and cities
✔ A landscape where every drive can be beautiful, historic, or both
✔ A commitment to bilingual and multicultural outreach
Arizona isn’t just changing how people drive—we’re changing how people think about driving.
Where We’re Headed Next
If the past two years were about awakening interest, the next two will be about scaling impact. More Ride & Drives. More tribal and Latino outreach. More youth education. More rallies. More reasons to go electric.
Because once someone drives an EV, the future stops being theoretical— it becomes inevitable.