Drive Electric Month continues this week with over 150 online and in-person events celebrating electric vehicles through most of September and the start of October. Events will be held for the next few weekends, with events in most US states, and one in Canada.
And in the midst of a global oil price spike with US prices at record highs, there couldn’t be a better time to learn how to become energy independent.
(Update: We’re updating the article to add some new upcoming events each weekend over the course of the month)
Drive Electric Month is an annual event organized by Plug In America, the Electric Vehicle Association, EVHybridNoire, Drive Electric USA, and the Sierra Club. This is the event’s 16th year. It started in the US as National Drive Electric Week, but for the last few years, the event has expanded to cover most of the month of September, with a few events in October as well.
These events are an opportunity for prospective EV buyers to talk directly with EV owners about the experience of owning an electric car, and EV owners to network with each other and share tips. The dealership experience is not ideal for many EV shoppers, so unfiltered conversations with EV owners can be a great way to learn.
Each event is organized by local EV advocates, and they range in size from small parking lot meetups and local EV parades to large festivals with lots of booths from nearby car dealers and green businesses. Many events have live music, family-friendly activities, food trucks and the like.
Drive Electric Month has a map and list of events happening over the course of the month. Most events are in-person, but there are some webinar-style online events that you can attend to hear about various topics related to electric vehicles if you can’t get to any local events. You can also search for events near you.
Be sure to click through to each individual event’s page to see what your local events will look like, what types of EVs might be in attendance, and register your interest.
Here’s a sample of some of the events happening over the course of the month:
- Southeast Idaho Electric Car Show in Pocatello, ID on Sep 26, 9am-1pm: The show takes place next to the Portneuf Valley farmers’ market at the Marshall Public Library, and looks to have a lot of registrants so far. Local officials will talk about Idaho’s charging station rollout and some nonprofits will have tables.
- EV Showcase at the Port of Hueneme Banana Festival in Port Hueneme, CA on September 26, 10am-5pm: I don’t know what a banana festival is but I do like bananas. This one will have port tours, kids zone, live bands, and “banana-themed” tasty eats. They’ve got room to display 10 cars, but more than 10 cars have already registered, so there might be some overflow into another lot…
- Take Charge East LA Ride and Drive in Los Angeles, CA on September 26, 10am-1pm: LA has had some huge events in the past, though things have calmed down a bit as electric cars have become more normalized around these parts. Nevertheless, this looks like it will probably be the largest event in the area this year.
- Get Charged Up Regional EV Expo in Westborough, MA on September 27, 2-5pm: This has been a large event in the past, but this year was rescheduled to the 27th due to rain. 41 cars are registered, but we imagine some may drop out due to the rescheduling.
- Sustainability Action EV Show — Bikes, Buses, Cars, Trucks in Lawrence, KS on September 27, 11am-3pm: This looks like it’s going to be a huge one, with 52 cars registered so far. Last year there were some wacky truck and bike DIY builds, so this event promises to be a great showcase not just of electric cars, but all sorts of advanced transportation options.
- EV in DC 2026 in Washington, DC on September 27, 10am-3pm: Right in the belly of the beast (and among some of the EV’s biggest enemies), just in front of the US Capitol (at 3rd St SW and Jefferson Drive SW), EV drivers will gather to answer questions about how to live with an EV in a city, including if you live in an apartment/row house/townhouse.
- EV Ride & Drive at Beltrami Electric Cooperative in Bemidji, MN on October 1, 4-6pm: Held at the local electric co-op, a few electric trucks will be available for test drives and attendees can learn about EV rebates and cheaper off-peak electricity rates to fuel their cars.
- energz EV EXPO in Banning, CA on October 3, 10am-2pm: A family-friendly event with test drives from local dealers, and opportunities to learn about career opportunities in electric mobility.
- National Drive Electric Month Waterloo 2026 in Waterloo, Ontario on October 3, 11am-3pm: This has been quite a large event in the past, and should be particularly interesting this year given the entry of Chinese EVs into the Canadian market. No Chinese EVs have been registered to attend yet, but I wouldn’t be surprised if one shows up, or if there’s a lot of talk about them…
- Knoxville Drive Electric Festival in Knoxville, TN on October 10, 10am-3pm: This is always one of the biggest ones of the year, and it looks like this year will be no different, with 67 cars already registered. Last year, a Rivian that survived a hurricane was on display, and this year there will be a Rivian R2 on site, the new smaller-sized, more affordable Rivian. Plus various electric buses and fleet vehicles, and lots of entertainment and food.
Not all the events are large or hosted in big cities. There are also smaller events happening in town centers, church parking lots, and so on, often with just a handful of EV owners who are typically happy to stand around and have a frank discussion with members of the public about what it’s like to own an EV, or to network with other local EV owners.
If you can’t make it to any in-person events or there aren’t any in your area, there are still a few online webinars about electric car ownership. A couple already happened, but you can still register for “All about electric vehicles: Ownership, charging, and how to get money back” on Oct 27, from 12-12:45pm PDT.
If you’d like to attend any of these events, either to show your vehicle, to volunteer to help run the event, or just to show up and look around, you can check out the list of events, then go to each event’s page to find more information. Remember to click the “RSVP” or “Volunteer” links near the top to register your interest (or register at the links mentioned in the event description).
Charge your electric vehicle at home using rooftop solar panels. Find a reliable and competitively priced solar installer near you on EnergySage, for free. They have pre-vetted installers competing for your business, ensuring high-quality solutions and 20-30% savings. It’s free, with no sales calls until you choose an installer. Compare personalized solar quotes online and receive guidance from unbiased Energy Advisers. Get started here. – ad*
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Comments