Get behind the wheel of an EV during National Drive Electric Week

Would you like to see what it’s like to drive an electric car without having to go to a car dealership and all that entails — not the least of which is pressure to buy? Here’s your chance. National Drive Electric Week 2016 is taking place across the country at more than 140 locations from September 10-18, 2016.

National Drive Electric Week is hosted by the Sierra Club, Plug-In America, and the Electric Auto Association. The sole automotive sponsor is the Nissan Leaf, but the event is in no way about selling. According to the event’s website, “Each event is led by local plug-in drivers and advocates and typically includes some combination of EV parades, ride-and-drives, electric tailgate parties, press conferences, award ceremonies, informational booths, and more.”

The event began in 2011 as National Plug In Day. The concept was to have one day a year, across the country, in which electric car owners, enthusiasts, and just plain people curious about electric cars, trucks, and motorcycle get together to talk about them learn about them, and — the highlight for many — get to drive and ride in electric cars that belong to private owners, not car dealerships.

The event name was changed because some hybrids and electric cars don’t plug-in for power — vehicles with fuel cells, for example, burn hydrogen and others use gasoline engines to generate electricity. Since the end result is a vehicle powered by electricity, National Plug In Day is now called National Drive Electric Week. The shift from Day to Week was made to enable more locations to schedule events. As of publication, the number of scheduled locations is 149, with 40 additional sites finalizing the details.

Events are scheduled throughout the U.S. and Canada. To find an event close to you, go to the National Drive Electric Week 2016 — Events page.