Recharge with a free electric vehicle test drive Thursday

_ (Via Plug N' Drive) _ ** Ottawa, ON | August 17, 2016 ** Join Plug’n Drive and the Ottawa Centre EcoDistrict tomorrow from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. as they transform Sparks Street into an electric vehicle (EV) showcase with free test drives. EV owners from all across the Ottawa region will be onsite to showcase their cars and share their electric driving experiences with the public.

The Honourable Catherine McKenna, Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Ontario’s Attorney General Yasir Naqvi and Ottawa’s Mayor Jim Watson will attend at 11:00 a.m. Join them in viewing some of the latest EV makes and models from BMW, Chevrolet, Ford and Mitsubishi that will be available for free test drive.

For the past five years, Plug’n Drive has been leading the charge on EV education by holding test drives and promoting the benefits of EV driving at events across Ontario and beyond, reaching over 60,000 people to date. During the past year, Plug’n Drive developed a series of practical and comprehensive policy recommendations for the Provincial Government to help electrify Ontario’s transportation sector.

Many of Plug’n Drive’s top recommendations relating to EV education and infrastructure were integrated into Ontario’s Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP) released in June 2016 by the Honourable Glenn Murray, Ontario’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change. The CCAP also confirmed a historic investment of up to $2 Million in funding for Plug’n Drive to create and operate a one-of-a-kind EV education and demonstration centre in the Greater Toronto Area.

Cara Clairman, President and CEO of Plug’n Drive, stated “Our goal is to create a one-stop-shop where consumers can find and test-drive all of the latest EV makes and models alongside charging stations, solar, storage and other energy innovations.  The Centre, set to open in 2017,will also offer training and special events for students, dealers, charger installers, mechanics, corporate partners and other necessary players in the EV ecosystem that are currently underserved.“

The Centre will act as a hub for Plug’n Drive’s programming, which will continue to include hosting EV Days in municipalities across the Province in partnership with local groups like the Ottawa Centre EcoDistrict.  “We are thrilled to be working with the leader in the EV education space for the third year running” said Don Grant, Executive Director of the Ottawa Centre EcoDistrict. ** About Plug’n Drive ** Plug’n Drive is a non-profit organization committed to accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles to maximize their environmental and economic benefits. Since 2011, Plug’n Drive has established itself as a leader in the electric vehicle industry; a trusted source of unbiased information about electric cars, charging stations and the electricity sector. To learn more, visit plugndrive.ca .