Celebrate National Drive Electric Week

National Drive Electric Week is a chance for those curious about making the switch to electric vehicles to get into the driver’s seat and test drive them.

This year’s events will be held from September 10 to 18 in some 200 cities in nearly every state, including California, in recognition of the widespread availability of plug-in vehicles and highlight the benefits of all-electric and plug-in hybrid-electric cars, trucks, and motorcycles.

The United States will pass the milestone of 500,000 plug-in electric cars sold during the National Drive Electric Week. This rapid growth has come since the first modern plug-in cars - the Nissan LEAF and Chevrolet Volt- went on sale in 2010, according to National Drive Electric Week organizers.

Members of the public can test drive more than 20 electric vehicles on the market at this national celebration, which Plug In America, the Sierra Club, and the Electric Auto Association organized in conjunction with many local partner groups.

The California Energy Commission’s Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program (ARFVTP) provides up to $100 million annually for technology to reduce the state’s reliance on fossil fuels, curtail greenhouse gases and meet clean air standards. These projects reduce the state’s reliance on petroleum and helps California with its goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050.

With transportation responsible for 37 percent of California’s greenhouse gases, making the transition to cleaner zero-emission vehicles is critical. For example, the the Energy Commission has awarded more than $51 million in grants for more than 8,500 electric vehicle charging connectors in California.