This blog was written by Jennifer Rennicks, former Senior Director of Policy & Communications at the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, and Jason Caissie, former Electric Transportation Manager at the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy.

Guest Blog | December 20, 2019 | Clean Transportation, Electric Vehicles, Florida

Earlier this year, the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy launched our newest campaign, the Driving on Sunshine roadshow, to help individuals and communities across the Sunshine State transition to clean, electric transportation. Despite the many documented benefits of electrifying our transportation systems – reduces costs, saves time, improves the ride, protects public health, and protects the environment – we knew that plenty of myths and misinformation about electric vehicles were out there. We decided one way to demonstrate how fun, easy and practical electric vehicles (EV) are would be to provide opportunities for people to drive one for themselves!

Charging Forward

Since July, our staff has toured the Sunshine State with a variety of electric vehicles, including a Nissan LEAF hatchback, a Tesla Model 3 sedan, and a Tesla Model X crossover, for more than 30 ride and drive events.

We attended public events like the Saturday Farmers’ Markets in St. Pete and Miami Springs, a VegFest in Cape Coral, and a Health and Wellness Expo in West Palm Beach. Our staff also partnered with municipalities, state agencies, and private businesses to provide workplace ride and drive events for employees from the Panhandle to Miami.

Read a recap from National Drive Electric Week in the Sunshine State here!

In the first six months of this campaign, we facilitated more than 500 test drives with hundreds more people joining us to observe or share a conversation with our EV experts. We are recharging our batteries now (both in the vehicles and for ourselves!) but we are already committed to dozens of events in 2020, and will continue working with partners to bring the roadshow to more communities around Florida!

Stay in touch and learn when the roadshow will be coming near you, by signing up here or check out the upcoming events on DrivingOnSunsine.org. Join us in 2020 to see for yourself why driving electric is a fun, clean transportation solution that saves money protects public health, and preserves our planet!