DriveElectricTN Kicks Off 2020 Ride & Drive Event Season at Knox Auto Show

February 20, 2020
Contact: Contact: Virginia Salazar Buda, 423-833-8474 or [email protected]

Come test drive electric vehicles, at no cost, this weekend, with DriveElectricTN at the 32nd annual Knox Auto Show in the Knoxville Convention Center this Thursday, February 20th through Sunday, February 23rd.

The Electric Vehicles (EVs) featured this weekend are the Tesla Model 3, Audi e-tron, Chevrolet Bolt and Volt, and the Smart fortwo EV. These vehicles are provided by Knoxville-based Harper Audi Knoxville dealership, Beaty Chevrolet dealership, the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, Knoxville Electric Vehicle Association members, and East Tennessee Clean Fuels. “We’re incredibly fortunate to kick off our 2020 statewide DET Ride and Drive EV Experience events, this weekend, with a strong team of business leaders, EV enthusiasts, and volunteers,” said Virginia Salazar Buda, DriveElectricTN (DET) Coordinator.

The DriveElectricTN (DET) EV Ride & Drive Experience is a statewide program that organizes electric vehicle events that are fun, engaging, educational and inclusive. The events provide an opportunity for Tennesseans to drive EVs without any sales pressure to purchase a car, ask questions about advanced technology and get answers about why the automobile industry is experiencing a massive shift from internal combustion engines to electric motors.  “We’re also looking forward to events where we can talk about the importance of adopting EVs, which are economically sound and are beneficial to our health and environment. It’s a win-win, for all,” added Salazar Buda. “Come out and have some fun at the Knox Auto Show this weekend, test drive an EV and come see for yourself!” concluded Salazar Buda.

Each DET Ride & Drive Experience scheduled for 2020 will engage diverse audiences, businesses, and organizations that will advance the DriveElectricTN Roadmap – a 10-year strategy initiated in 2018 by a core team of stakeholders throughout the state of Tennessee.  The Ride & Drive EV Experience is one project out of 47 listed in the DET Roadmap strategy. The Roadmap strategy embraces four Opportunity Areas for TN statewide EV adoption. These four Opportunity Areas are Charging Infrastructure, Policies, and Programs, Availability and Awareness. For more information about DET’s first edition Roadmap, visit Electric Vehicle Roadmap or www.driveelectrictn.org.

Join us by driving EV innovation forward by becoming a DET member at www.driveelectrictn.org.

Drive Electric Tennessee / East TN Clean Fuels, 311 Conference Center Building, Knoxville, TN 37996-4134
Both the East and Middle-West Tennessee Clean Cities Coalitions are designated members in the
United States Department of Energy’s Clean Cities Program.