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| Powering Arizona’s EV Future Through Community, Education, Advocacy & EVents |
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| | DECEMBER 2025 NEWSLETTER VOLUME 2 • ISSUE 12 |
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Two Years on the Road: How DRIVE Electric Arizona Has Accelerated EV Awareness Across the State |
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| 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.
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| 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: 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.
Read the article here… |
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| Check out our website’s EVENT CALENDAR and RSVP to get involved - attend, volunteer!
January 9-11, 2026 | EV Showcase @ Maricopa County Home Show, Phoenix
January 17, 2026 | OdySea Aquarium Conservation Expo, Scottsdale
January 19, 2026 | Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Festival, Phoenix
January 24, 2026 | January Rally-Breakfast Meet-Up, Cave Creek
January 24, 2026 | Cave Creek EV Ride & Drive, Cave Creek
February 20-22, 2026 | Fountain Festival, Fountain Hills
February 21, 2026 | Chandler Innovation Fair, Chandler
May 1-3, 2026 | 100th Anniversary Route 66 Fun Run, Kingman |
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| | | 2025 - A Landmark Year for EVs What It Means for Arizona |
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| Across the country, 2025 has been a defining year for electric vehicles. Federal policies shifted, incentives changed, and long-standing assumptions about transportation and energy were tested. Yet through all of it, one thing became increasingly clear: the EV transition is continuing — and in Arizona, it’s accelerating.
Nationally, some EV incentives expired or were revised, and federal infrastructure programs experienced delays and recalibration. But despite those headwinds, EV sales reached new highs in 2025, charging infrastructure continued to expand, and consumer interest remained strong. In short, the market kept moving forward even as policy landscapes evolved. |
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| For Arizona, this matters. Arizona is now one of the fastest-growing EV states in the country, with registrations more than tripling since 2021. That growth didn’t happen because of a single federal program — it happened because Arizonans are discovering firsthand that EVs are cheaper to fuel, easier to live with, and better suited to our climate and driving patterns than many expected. |
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At the same time, Arizona faces unique challenges that make EVs especially relevant: Extreme heat that strains the grid and household budgets Rapid population growth increasing Increasing electricity demand Long driving distances in rural and suburban areas Energy reliability concerns during summer peak periods
EVs, paired with smart charging, solar, emerging vehicle-to-home (V2H) and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technologies, and virtual power plant (VPP) programs, are increasingly part of the solution. Utilities across Arizona are expanding managed charging programs, off-peak rates, and pilot projects that help EVs support — rather than stress — the grid. Even as national policies shift, the fundamentals remain strong: EVs cost less to operate and maintain Charging infrastructure continues to expand statewide Drivers report high satisfaction and low likelihood of returning to gas vehicles Arizona’s sunshine makes EV + solar combinations especially powerful
In many ways, 2025 reinforced an important lesson: Arizona’s EV future does not depend on a single incentive or program. It depends on local leadership, community education, utility partnerships, and informed households making smart long-term decisions.
Read the article here… |
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| | DRIVE ELECTRIC ARIZONA CHAPTER UPDATES |
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| Sedona EV Ride & Drive: A Community Success! |
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| Throughout the event, attendees had the opportunity to see, sit in, and drive a diverse lineup of electric vehicles—many for the very first time. Conversations were practical and engaging, covering real-world topics like charging access, road trips, seasonal driving, cost of ownership, and how EVs fit into daily life in a rural community. The relaxed, no-pressure environment allowed participants to learn directly from EV owners and volunteers sharing honest, firsthand experiences.
The event also highlighted the growing interest in electric transportation across Northern Arizona. Dozens of test drives and many more meaningful conversations reinforced a familiar takeaway: once people experience an EV, curiosity turns into confidence.
Most importantly, the Sedona EV Ride & Drive demonstrated the power of community-based, peer-to-peer education. By putting “butts in seats” and meeting people where they are, the event helped demystify electric vehicles and showed that EVs are not only viable—but well-suited—for life in Sedona and beyond.
Finish the article here…
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| Photo credit: Peter Culin |
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| ABOUT DRIVE ELECTRIC ARIZONA
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, Tribal Nations (formerly 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. DRIVE Electric Arizona engages auto dealers and fleet leaders, in addition to assisting with EV infrastructure planning.
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| | | CALL TO ACTION!
Support DRIVE Electric Arizona
As we work to grow Arizona's EV community, there are many easy ways to support DRIVE Electric Arizona: • please share this newsletter • engage on our social media sites • participate in EVents • make a donation |
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| | | | FORCE FOR GOOD Arizona Impact for Good is a membership organization devoted to uniting nonprofits and philanthropy across the state. DRIVE Electric Arizona is working with AZ Impact for Good to strenghen our all-volunteer efforts to advance our mission to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles throughout Arizona. |
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| | | | | Help us sustain our momentum by tagging us in your posts
and using the following hashtags! |
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| #DriveElectricAZ #VOTSEVA
#indigenousEVowners
#Route66EV
#driveelectric |
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| #electricvehicle
#eva
#deaz
#electrified #zeroemissions |
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Charge On!
John S Martinson and Peter Culin
Co-Founders
DRIVE Electric Arizona and
Valley of the Sun Electric Vehicle Association |
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