Electrify America’s Educational Campaign “Normal Now” Will Sponsor National Drive Electric Week Events to Raise Awareness of Electric Vehicles and Public Charging Infrastructure

• The sponsorship will help fund 24 virtual Ride & Drive events for consumers across the nation

“Normal Now,” the brand-neutral zero emission vehicle (ZEV) marketing campaign spearheaded by Electrify America, will sponsor 24 virtual Ride and Drive events during National Drive Electric Week (Sept. 26-Oct. 4, 2020). This is the second year in a row that Electrify America will help fund the program’s Ride and Drive events to educate consumers about electric vehicles; in 2019, the company’s sponsorship resulted in more than 700 test drives in five U.S. states.

“Normal Now” Mission Aligns with National Drive Electric Week

As part of its investment in ZEV education and awareness, Electrify America – the largest open DC fast charging network in the U.S. – introduced the “Normal Now” campaign in 2019 to help introduce electric vehicles (EVs) to consumers who may not be aware of or have never contemplated making the switch to electric. The mission of the campaign dovetails perfectly with National Drive Electric Week’s nationwide celebration of all-electric and plug-in hybrid cars, trucks, and motorcycles.

An annual celebration since 2011, National Drive Electric Week is transitioning its signature Ride and Drive events to a mostly virtual format in 2020. The support provided by “Normal Now” for this year’s program will help fund 24 virtual events across the U.S., six of which will be in California. Each event will include an “EV 101” presentation, Q&A session with an EV driver, virtual test drives with local dealership sales representatives and current EV owners, and additional resources for attendees to further explore the world of electric cars. The sponsorship also aids with event logistics, promotion and giveaway prizes.

“By educating the broader public about zero-emission vehicle technology, new all-electric models on the road today, and the increasing amount of charging infrastructure in place to support these vehicles, we hope to inspire more drivers to make the switch to electric,” said Richard Steinberg, director of marketing and communications at Electrify America. “We look forward to once again taking part in this important celebration of electric vehicles as we work toward a common goal of increasing EV adoption and advancing the future of transportation.”

“While there is nothing quite like feeling the instant acceleration and smooth drive of an electric vehicle for the first time, the virtual events supported by Electrify America during National Drive Electric Week are the next best thing,” said Joel Levin, executive director of Plug In America, a National Drive Electric Week organizer. “These virtual events will give people the opportunity to experience electric vehicles and talk to a few of the 1.5 million Americans who have already switched. We’re excited that Electrify America remains committed to National Drive Electric Week and to educating Americans about the many benefits of driving electric.”

Participate in National Drive Electric Week

To view the full list of community events hosted over National Drive Electric Week, visit https://driveelectricweek.org/. The site provides information for those looking to learn more about EVs, test drive a vehicle, or volunteer with the event.

To help spread ZEV awareness during National Drive Electric Week and beyond, Electrify America encourages interested parties – including automakers, utilities, government agencies, community-based organizations, and more – to visit https://toolkit.normalnow.com/ for a complimentary database of marketing assets from “Normal Now.”  To learn more about the Normal Now campaign visit https://normalnow.com/.

Adoption of Electric Vehicles Continues to Increase

As National Drive Electric Week 2020 approaches, EV production and sales are on the rise – and new advances in technology, including charging technology, are providing consumers with more confidence than ever before. Recent data shows that EVs continue to gain momentum:

• EV adoption is trending upward, with passenger EV sales increasing from 450,000 in 2015 to 2.1 million in 2019[1].
• More automakers are committing to manufacturing EVs – last year, automakers announced a combined $225 billion to investments in electrification[2].
• It’s estimated that by 2022, over 500 different EV models are expected to be available globally, and by 2040, over half of all passenger vehicles sold will be electric[3].
• As new models of electric vehicles come to market and more consumers adopt EVs, the charging industry is adapting – the global number of publicly accessible chargers increased by 60 percent in 2019[4], and it’s estimated that the U.S., China and Europe will install over 29 million EV charging stations by 2030[5].
• Within the next few months, “Plug&Charge” technology will become a feature at charging stations, including Electrify America sites. “Plug&Charge” allows EV drivers to simply plug their vehicle into a charger to initiate a charging session, without needing to reach for a wallet, smartphone or credit card.
• As more EVs are manufactured to accept faster charging speeds, charging infrastructure companies are ensuring their direct current (DC) fast charging technology is ready to deliver. Electrify America’s charging stations can deliver charging speeds of up to 150kW and 350kW, the latter of which allows capable vehicles to add up to 20 miles of range per minute.

For more information about Electrify America’s charging network and how the company is working to promote electric vehicle education and awareness, visit electrifyamerica.com.