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Inaugural EV Car Show Coming to Evansville

An electric Rivian R1T is parked on Main Street in Downtown Evansville early May. This vehicle is slated to be at the car show.
Tim Jagielo
/
WNIN
An electric Rivian R1T is parked on Main Street in Downtown Evansville early May. This vehicle is slated to be at the car show.

Organizer: $100 million EV infrastructure plan is 'really going to open up the market for EVs'

The inaugural electric vehicle (EV) car cruise is very quietly coming to Evansville October Second. Called “EVs for EVV,” this cruise is happening alongside the regular Evansville Road Knights Car Cruise.

The name comes from “electric vehicle event for Evansville.”

It is the first of its kind for this area and it will include electric cars and at least one truck, some electric motorcycles and electric bikes.

Event organizer Caroline Nellis said one reason to hold such an event was the recently passed bipartisan infrastructure bill, which should create an electric vehicle charging infrastructure making it easier to own an EV and travel with it.

“Once that happens, that's really going to open up the market for EVs a lot,” Nellis said. “And I feel like this event is kind of priming the pump for that — when that occurs (it will get) people more familiarized with what a diversity of cars are available, both all the way from price range and driving range.”

Nellis is part of Tri-State Creation Care, an inter-faith non-profit that works on ways to improve the environment. She sees EVs as one way to do that.

“I think transportation is definitely a larger segment of how we can control climate change,” she said.

This car show will run in conjunction with the Evansville Road Knights and their historically-standard gas-powered vehicle show.

She says she hopes fans of the internal combustion engine (ICE) will explore electric vehicles.

“There is you know, a little skepticism among ICE people about EVs. But I'm hoping that they will be open to coming over and experiencing the EVS.”

For Nellis, 71, the interest is purely environmental, and she acknowledges that right now, EVs are not inexpensive.

“If I ever get one, it will be a second-hand or a third hand (purchase),” she said. “And more than likely it'll be on the end of the Chevy Bolt rather than the Tesla. But I'll be curious to see Teslas and we've got at least two that I know of that will be allowed to test drive that day.”

If you’re curious you can test drive a Tesla at the event — which is free — but a donation is suggested for test drives.

If you have an electric vehicle, you are welcome to come and show it. The event runs from 4-to 7 PM at the corner of Burkhardt Road and the Lloyd Expressway.