Thinking about an electric vehicle? Try one out. Here’s how

April 26, 2024

52 1 minute read

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Enthusiasm for electric vehicles has waned a bit, but utility Salt River Project is working to counter that with free test drives of popular models and discussions with Valley residents who own these vehicles.

Potential buyers, and others, can get behind the wheel of an electric vehicle or ride as a passenger Saturday, April 27, from 8 a.m. to noon. Test drives will be conducted following a 2.8-mile route in and around SRP’s Project Administration Building at 1500 N. Mill Ave. in Tempe, just south of Papago Park, with the program centered on the north and east sides of the complex.

Several popular models will be available, including Teslas, Rivians and Ford F-150 Lightning trucks. The vehicles will be made available by owners who will be on hand to answer questions and share their driving experiences.

Participants seeking to drive a vehicle must register in advance, provide a valid driver’s license and sign an electronic waiver. Passengers also must sign the waiver.

Officials from SRP and Drive Electric Arizona, a new statewide program, will be present.

In the first quarter of 2024, Americans bought 268,909 new electric vehicles, according to Kelley Blue Book, with EVs accounting for 7.3% of total new vehicle sales, according to Cox Automotive. EV sales rose 2.6% from the first quarter of 2023 but slid 15.2% from last year’s fourth quarter.

“Electric vehicle sales in the U.S. declined during Q1 2024 – the first quarter-over-quarter downturn since Q2 2020,” said Stepanie Valdez Streaty, director of industry insights at Cox Automotive, in a statement.

Cox Automotive forecasts that EV sales will still increase for 2024, driven by more new products, incentives, inventory, leasing and charging infrastructure. “Even so, we’ll continue to see ups and downs as the industry moves towards electrification,” said Valdez Streaty.

Prices have been dropping and leasing has been rising, according to Cox Automotive. The average transaction purchase price for a new EV was $55,167 in the first quarter, down 9% from the same quarter in 2023. In the latest quarter, roughly 27% of all EVs were leased, more than double from the year earlier. With leasing, many consumers still can qualify for the full $7,500 federal income-tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act offers, Cox Automotive noted.