DRIVE Electric Arizona Joins Gila River Indian Community’s Earth Day Celebration

On March 28, 2025, DRIVE Electric Arizona proudly participated in the Gila River Indian Community’s Earth Day Celebration, showcasing five electric vehicles in an engaging, hands-on display. The lineup featured a Ford F-150 Lightning provided by SRP, as well as a Ford Mustang Mach-E GT, Kia EV6, Rivian R1T, and Chevrolet Bolt—all presented by dedicated volunteers from our Tribal Nations and Valley of the Sun chapters.

Over the course of the four-hour event, our passionate EV owner-volunteers engaged with 204 tribal members and community attendees, answering questions, sharing personal experiences, and clearing up common myths and misconceptions about electric vehicles. Guests were also invited to attend our upcoming Ride & Drive event on April 19 at South Mountain Community College for a chance to get behind the wheel themselves.

In addition to community members of all ages—including many curious elementary school students—the event welcomed a very special guest, Dr. Jane Goodall, who addressed the crowd with an inspiring message of environmental stewardship.

As is often the case, attendees brought with them some common misperceptions about EVs: limited range, lack of charging infrastructure, slow charging times, concerns about battery life, and doubts about performance in Arizona’s extreme weather. Fortunately, our experienced volunteers were able to dispel these myths with real-world data and personal stories from the road.

DRIVE Electric Arizona extends a huge thank you to our volunteers, Hans Klose, Shaun Barnette, John Morrill, and John Martinson for generously sharing their time, vehicles, and expertise. As always, their commitment helped make this Earth Day celebration a meaningful and informative experience for all.

Photo credit: John Martinson, Shaun Barnette, John Morrill