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Powering Arizona’s EV Future Through Community, Education, Advocacy & EVents |
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JULY 2026 NEWSLETTER VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 7 |
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We’re Mountain Bound in August! Rally with Us! |
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Check out our website’s EVENT CALENDAR and RSVP to get involved - attend, volunteer!
August 23, 2026 | August Rally to Mt. Lemmon, Tucson
TBA 2026 | Route 66 Centennial Flagstaff EV Ride & Drive, Flagstaff (rescheduled rain date coming soon!)
September 26, 2026 | Special Event, TBA
October 3, 2026 | Phoenix EV Ride & Drive, Glendale |
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Three Prescott-Area Arizona Dealerships Earn DRIVE Electric Arizona Trusted EV Dealership Recognition |
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More Places to Charge. More EV Expertise. More Confidence for Arizona Drivers. |
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| Buying an electric vehicle just became easier for residents of Arizona's Quad Cities (Prescott, Prescott Valley, Chino Valley, and Dewey-Humboldt). |
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A Growing Statewide Network
With the addition of the three Casa dealerships, DRIVE Electric Arizona has doubled the number of Trusted EV Dealerships in Arizona—from three to six. Casa Auto Group joins: San Tan Ford Arrowhead BMW Arrowhead Cadillac
Together these dealerships now represent Ford, BMW, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and Nissan, giving Arizona consumers more trusted places to explore electric vehicles without the pressure or uncertainty that too often accompanies the EV buying process.
More Than a Dealership—A Community Resource
One of the biggest questions prospective EV owners ask is: “Where will I charge?”
Casa Prescott has already answered that question.
The dealerships provide 24-hour public access to EV Connect DC Fast Chargers on their property, giving both local drivers and travelers a reliable place to recharge around the clock. Located along one of Northern Arizona's primary travel corridors, the chargers help strengthen the region's growing EV infrastructure while supporting tourism and local commerce.
Even better, Casa Chevrolet of Prescott offers EV take-home test drives.
Instead of a quick drive around the block, prospective buyers can experience what EV ownership is really like—charging at home, commuting to work, running errands, and discovering how easily an EV fits into everyday life.
There is simply no better way to answer the question: "Will an EV work for me?"
Continue reading about Casa Auto Group’s support of the EV community… |
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VOLUNTEER PROFILE: John Morrill |
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He Bought It Because It Was Beautiful…Then Discovered It Was Electric |
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Most people buy an EV because they're interested in the technology.
John Morrill bought one because it looked cool.
Back in 2015, John stumbled across an original Fisker Karma with just 3,000 miles on it for less than half its original price after Fisker Automotive went bankrupt (the first time!). The Karma's dramatic styling and car-show appeal caught his eye. |
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There was just one small detail…
It happened to be electric.
Today we'd call the Karma an Extended Range Electric Vehicle (EREV), an electric drivetrain with a gasoline engine that can recharge the battery while driving. But John wasn't shopping for cutting-edge technology. He just thought it was one of the most beautiful cars on the road.
Then he drove it. |
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| John Morrill fell in love with an original Fisker Karma, soon igniting his passion for EVs and EV education. |
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Like so many EV owners, he quickly discovered that smooth, silent acceleration has a way of spoiling you. Before long, “noisy, jerky, drippy, stinky gasoline cars” simply weren't as appealing, he said.
Four years and 40,000 miles later, John replaced the Karma with a 2019 Jaguar I-PACE, one of the earliest luxury EVs available in the U.S. He later added a 2019 Chevrolet Bolt for his son Alec, a 2022 Kia EV6 (one of the first 800-volt architcture/under 20-minute charging cars) as the other family car, and most recently replaced the I-PACE with a 2024 Cadillac Lyriq and upgraded the Kia EV6 to a newer model, giving him firsthand experience with everything from affordable commuter EVs to premium luxury models. |
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| John Morrill with his 2024 Cadillac Lyriq at the Historic Route 66 Fun Run in Kingman, Arizona. |
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John's journey with DRIVE Electric Arizona began in 2019 when he met Peter Culin at a Valley of the Sun Electric Vehicle Association EV Ride & Drive. One event led to another, a friendship developed, and today John serves on the DRIVE Electric Arizona Board of Directors, where he has been involved since the organization was founded. A dedicated volunteer, he is an integral part of nearly every EV event and enthusiastically shares his knowledge, expertise, and guidance on all things EV. |
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A computer engineer by profession, John enjoys understanding how every EV is designed and why manufacturers make different engineering choices. More importantly, he has a knack for translating complex technical information into simple terms and concepts.
At our events, you'll often hear John tell visitors: "If you want to know what it's really like to own an EV, ask someone who actually owns one—not someone who's only imagined it."
It's simple advice backed by experience.
Whether he's showing off his latest EV, answering questions at a Ride & Drive, or helping someone overcome range anxiety, John brings enthusiasm, knowledge, and just the right amount of humor to every conversation.
After all, it's hard to argue with someone who accidentally bought an EV... and then never went back to gasoline.
Thanks, John, for helping Arizona discover what driving electric is really all about! |
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Take a Look at Our Updated Website! |
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DRIVE Electric Arizona's website is getting a fresh new look! We're redesigning the homepage and updating several sections throughout the site to make it easier to navigate, more visually engaging, and better showcase everything our volunteers, chapters, and partners are accomplishing across Arizona. |
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You'll notice improvements to chapter pages, volunteer information, events, graphics, and other features as we continue rolling out updates over the coming weeks. We'd love your feedback! As you explore the new site, let us know what you like, what could be improved, and if you spot anything that needs fixing. Your suggestions will help us create an even better experience for visitors and volunteers alike. Email us at contact@driveelectricaz.org Visit us at www.driveelectricaz.org and tell us what you think! |
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CALLING ALL OWNERS OF ARIZONA’S NEWEST EVs! |
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Have you recently taken delivery of one of the newest electric vehicles on the market? We'd love to have you share it with the public at an upcoming DRIVE Electric Arizona event! Many people are eager to see these exciting new models in person, ask real-world questions, and learn from actual owners before making the switch to electric. Your vehicle could be the first one someone has ever seen outside of a dealership. We're especially looking for volunteers who own: Whether you can join us for a monthly rally, Ride & Drive, community festival, or vehicle showcase, your participation makes a real difference. Every conversation helps educate Arizona drivers and builds confidence in electric vehicles through firsthand experience. If you own one of these new models and would like to volunteer at a future event, we'd love to hear from you. Help us showcase the future of electric transportation across Arizona! |
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DRIVE ELECTRIC ARIZONA CHAPTER UPDATES |
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| New Faces, Great EVs, and Sweet Treats at Our July EV Rally |
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| Our July EV Rally at Crispy Cones was another fantastic evening for Arizona's electric vehicle community! A great variety of EVs packed the bustling parking lot as owners gathered to enjoy delicious treats, share experiences, and welcome many new faces to Arizona's growing EV community. The relaxed atmosphere made it easy for conversations to flow, and everyone enjoyed Crispy Cones' unique ice cream while checking out an impressive lineup of electric vehicles. |
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One of the biggest highlights of the evening was seeing so many first-time attendees join us. It's exciting to watch our community continue to grow as more people discover the benefits of driving electric and find a welcoming place to ask questions, meet experienced owners, and make new friends. Thank you to everyone who came out and made the evening such a fun and memorable success. We can't wait to see you at our next rally! (see our Event Calendar for info!)
Read the article here… |
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| Photo credit: Grace Toughill |
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Route 66 Centennial EV Ride & Drive Paused by Weather, To Be Rescheduled! |
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Sometimes Mother Nature has other plans. |
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| Our Historic Route 66 Centennial EV Ride & Drive in downtown Flagstaff was underway before thunderstorms moved into the area, forcing us to make the difficult decision to end the event early. While disappointing for everyone involved, the weather quickly confirmed that it was the right choice. The safety of our volunteers, partners, participating dealerships, and attendees will always come first. Although the event was cut short, we were encouraged by the enthusiasm of those who joined us before the storms arrived and grateful for the incredible support from the City of Flagstaff, our dealership partners, volunteers, and everyone who came out despite the forecast. The good news is that we're already planning a Route 66 Ride & Drive redo before the end of the summer, giving everyone another opportunity to experience the latest electric vehicles in a fun, no-pressure environment. Be sure to check the DRIVE Electric Arizona Events Calendar for the rescheduled date and other upcoming events. We look forward to seeing everyone back on Historic Route 66 very soon! Read the article here… |
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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, Native 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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