National Drive Electric Week 2023 kicks off Friday, September 22 and continues through Sunday, October 1. National Drive Electric Week is an enormous festival of all-electric and plug-in hybrid cars, trucks, motorcycles, and more. In all there’s 214 events across 48 U.S. states and three Canadian provinces.

Photo by A MacDonald/Clarksville Commons

Originally Called National Plug In Day

National Drive Electric Week isn’t a new thing. As a matter of fact, it launched in 2011. Back then it was called National Plug In Day and simultaneous events took place in 29 cities across the U.S. The event was the brainchild of Plug In America Co-Founder/Communications Director Zan Dubin-Scott and long-time EV driver Jeff U’Ren. The duo had an idea of a coordinated series of national events to raise awareness of plug-in electric vehicles. They pitched it to Plug In America and got the thumbs up. The first event launched in partnership with the Electric Vehicle Association and the Sierra Club.

Photo by Collin Loewen/Houston EVA

Growth Happened Fast

Growth happened rapidly. In 2012, National Plug In Day more than doubled to 65 events. In 2013, it jumped to 98 events that drew over 36,000 attendees and 3,000 EVs. As it turns out, bigger things were yet to come. In 2014, attendance doubled to over 90,000 people and a Guinness World Record was set for the “most all-electric vehicles in a parade” (507) at the Cupertino, California, event. Furthermore, The Weather Channel did several segments promoting National Drive Electric Week just before the first events in Atlanta. And 2014 was also the year that the name of the event was changed from National Plug In Day to National Drive Electric Week. The reasoning behind the name change was twofold. It was to emphasize driving electric and to offer a broader range of dates to accommodate more events.

Photo by Robert Langdon

National Drive Electric Week 2023

It’s easy to find a National Drive Electric Week 2023 (NDEW) event near you. Simply go to the list of events on the NDEW website and click on the one you like for more information. You don’t need to RSVP to attend an event. However, clicking the RSVP button and entering your info will ensure you receive any last-minute event communications from organizers. At the event you’ll find EV test drives, showcases, informative workshops and other activities that highlight the benefits of owning an EV.

Photo by Mel Hsieh

National Drive Electric Week 2023 Presenters and Sponsors

The presenters of National Drive Electric Week 2023 are Plug In America, the Electric Vehicle Association, EVHybridNoire, the Sierra Club, and Drive Electric USA. National sponsors include platinum sponsors Nissan and Wells Fargo, and bronze sponsor Edison International.

Photo by Drive Electric Tennessee

Here’s a Few Reasons to Go

Whether you’re a newbie to the electrified lifestyle, an EV owner, or just curious, there’s something for you at a National Drive Electric Week event. “NDEW is a great chance for drivers to talk to EV owners in their communities about the true EV driving experience,” said Joel Levin, executive director of Plug In America, an EV nonprofit advocacy group. “We want to give everyone accurate, practical information so they can make informed decisions about what is best for them. There are a number of great deals and incentives available, not to mention an increase in the variety of models for sale. So, there’s a lot to discover at NDEW events, even for current EV owners.”