National Drive Electric Week
National Drive Electric Week Kingman, AZ
Kingman, AZ
Sep 23, 2023
National Drive Electric Week Kingman, AZ
Kingman, AZ
Sep 23, 2023
| Day: | Saturday, September 23, 2023 NOTE: this event has already happened, find current-year events on the Attend page. |
| Time: | 1:00 - 3:00 pm MST |
| Location: | Route 66 EV Museum at the Kingman Powerhouse 120 W. Andy Devine Ave. Kingman, AZ 86401 |
Event Report
The Historic Electric Vehicle Foundation (HEVF), Kingman’s Office of Tourism and the Route 66 Electric Vehicle Association joined forces for a successful event at the Kingman Powerhouse Visitor Center, during Kingman's second National Drive Electric Week gathering on September 23, 2023.We had a good turnout of participants, with nearly all registered attendees appearing as planned. A contingent from Valley of the Sun EVA in central Arizona was of great help in both car owner display as well as operational support. We also had some last-minute additions that expanded the variety of vehicles on display for visitors. Our final vehicle tally was 10 modern EVs on display, in 7 different models from 5 different manufacturers, plus 3 historic vehicles, two of which belonged to the Historic EV Foundation, and one which was being donated to the HEVF during our event. The Ford and Rivian electric trucks on display by their owners were of great interest to many locals of the Kingman community, with its strong ties to rural and ranching activities. The extremely rare 1960 Henney Kilowatt on display by the HEVF was also a popular attraction, especially with European visitors who stop at the Powerhouse while touring Route 66, and were able to recognize the Kilowatt's pedigree as a converted Renault Dauphine.
The Historic EV Foundation was also a first-time participant in Kingman’s 53rd annual Andy Devine Days parade which preceded the NDEW event, with thousands of parade-watchers seeing first-hand a selection of modern and historic electric vehicles traveling a 10-block parade route.
The opening of the Route 66 EV Museum for free admission during the event was an added draw as in previous Drive Electric events, with numerous Kingman Powerhouse visitors seeing the vehicles on display within the museum for the first time. Welcoming attendees inside the Powerhouse was Aptera Ambassador Len Nowak, who shared information on the innovative solar vehicle expected to enter production in the coming year. Adding to the festivities outside was City of Kingman Vice Mayor Cherish Sammeli, who read a Drive Electric Week proclamation from the city, and "EVJerry" Asher, a tireless long-time EV advocate who was on hand to donate to the HEVF his historic Spirit of DC, a unique Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid conversion with added solar power.
The Historic EV Foundation also shared their vision of the new EV Museum that is being developed for a nearby location in downtown Kingman, with an artist's rendering of the upcoming facility, planned to be ready in time for the Route 66 Centennial in 2026.
photo by: Peter Culin The "Spirit of DC" plug-in hybrid conversion, a 1960 Electric Shopper, a 1960 Henney Kilowatt, a Rivian R1T and a Tesla Model S are among the vehicles on display as visitors gather for the Drive Electric Week event at the Powerhouse Visitor Center, on Route 66 in Kingman, Arizona on September 23, 2023. |
Event Description
Sign-up above:
- as a participant to display your electric vehicle,
- as a volunteer to help with event logistics, or
- as an attendee, to learn more about driving electric from EV owners who will be sharing their first-hand, uncensored knowledge about their EV experiences.
Kingman’s FREE to attend National Drive Electric Week event will feature the most diverse range of electric vehicles on display at any Drive Electric event nationwide, because in addition to our car show featuring modern production electric vehicles, and chatting with EV owners and advocates about their experiences, attendees will be given FREE admission to the Route 66 EV Museum.
The Museum’s display of about 25 EVs is only 1/4 of the Historic EV Foundation’s world’s largest collection of historically significant EVs. In addition to the EVs listed below that are registered to attend, visitors will be able to view up close and personal these electric vehicles in HEVF's Museum collection:
- "The Spirit of DC" - the newest addition to the HEVF collection, this early hybrid with custom plug-in modification has traveled to all state capitals of the lower 48 US States.
- a rare 2008 Tesla Roadster (#480; Tesla sold only ~2,450 of these pioneering EVs worldwide)
- a 1930 Detroit Electric
- a record-setting EV land speed racer
- Willie Nelson’s Rolls-Royce styled golf cart
- and more!
The
Historic Electric Vehicle Foundation, the Kingman Office of Tourism and the Route 66 Electric Vehicle
Association have partnered to organize this opportunity for electric
vehicle consumers and potential EV buyers from Kingman, Phoenix, Las Vegas and all areas of Arizona to celebrate the benefits of
electrified transportation at the Route 66 EV Museum.
The speaker program for Drive Electric Week at the Powerhouse is planned to take place about 1:30 PM, and includes:
- Kingman Mayor Ken Watkins has been invited to read Kingman's 2023 National Drive Electric Week proclamation.
- "EVJerry" Asher is scheduled to formally donate his historic Spirit of DC plug-in hybrid EV to the Foundation's collection. "EVJerry" has been a long time Arizona advocate of electrified transportation systems, including a stint as Vice President of the Tucson Electric Vehicle Association and is currently an active member of the Route 66 EVA.
- The Historic EV Foundation will also be sharing exciting news about its vision for a new world-class Electric Vehicle Museum (EVM).
The annual Andy Devine Days Parade precedes this year's Drive Electric Week event:
For the first time, the Foundation is sponsoring a parade unit in coordination with the Kingman's 53rd annual Andy Devine Days celebration. The parade unit is planned to include the Spirit of DC historic plug-in hybrid EV, at least one historic EV from the Foundation's collection, as well as two EV trucks: a Ford F-150 Lightning and a Rivian R1T, courtesy of Electric Vehicle Association members. The parade on East Beale Street starts at 10:00 AM with the NDEW event following at the Route 66 EV Museum at the Powerhouse at 1:00 PM. The Spirit of DC and both electric trucks are planned for display by their owners after the parade at the Drive Electric event.
Registered Attendees
There are currently 21 attendees registered.
Owners of These Vehicles Have Registered To Attend
| Vehicle | Registered |
|---|---|
| Tesla Model 3 | 3 |
| Kia EV6 | 2 |
| Rivian R1T | 2 |
| Tesla Model S | 2 |
| Chevrolet Bolt | 1 |
| Ford F-150 Lightning | 1 |
| Tesla Model X | 1 |
| 7 Models | 12 |
Registered attendees report 952,300 electric miles driven.
