Public invited to EV Day on April 14 at the Oklahoma History Center

On Wednesday, April 14, Sen. Mary Boren, D-Norman, will be hosting EV (Electric Vehicle) Day at the Oklahoma History Center. The public event will welcome industry leaders from around the state to educate consumers on electric vehicles and Oklahoma’s role in the industry.

“As we work to protect the environment, utilizing energy-conscious technologies like electric vehicles will be vital,” Boren said. “Before driving an electric vehicle, I had never been to a car show, but now I realize how they help drivers become comfortable with EV’s innovative technology. I’m grateful to work alongside the host committee and dedicated volunteers who planned this and other similar successful events. Hopefully, this event will give state policymakers the chance to learn directly from Oklahoma EV owners and see a wide variety of makes and models of these vehicles.”

A lunch and EV car show will be held at the Oklahoma History Center from 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Food trucks will be provided by Oklahoma City vendors Taste of Soul Chicken and Waffles, Taste of Soul Eggrolls, and Taco Nation.

“Supporting electric vehicle awareness through events like EV Day makes it clear the technology is ready for scale, the product is coming, and the public is ready for it,” said co-sponsor Jonathan Fowler, owner of Fowler Automotive and a constituent of Boren’s. “As demand increases it’s important for us to help educate not just on the tech, but also on changes coming to infrastructure, what it’s like to own an EV in day to day living, and what positive changes we see coming as a result – both environmentally and economically.”

Other event sponsors will include Rep. Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, Secretary of Energy and Environment Kenneth Wagner, and Secretary of Commerce and Workforce Development Scott Mueller.

“Supporting EV Day recognizes that Oklahoma is uniquely positioned to be the leader in North America for the next generation of automobiles. With features such as our centralized location, state and federal highway system, and the Port of Catoosa, the sky is the limit for EV manufacturing in Oklahoma,” says Hilbert.

Oklahoma is the top state for owning an electric vehicle, according to MYEV.com. This is based on the state having the lowest average electricity rates in the country, a high ratio of charging stations to population, and ever-increasing EV sales. The state ranks second nationally per capita for public fast charging stations with 158 stations total, which was possible because of public and private sector investment. The majority of Oklahoma’s interstate corridors have been designated as ‘EV-ready’ by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and have fast charging every 50 miles.

“Electric vehicles are an important part of our broader strategy to be pioneering leaders in all forms of energy,” said Wagner. “I’m extremely proud of the ChargeOK network that has helped make Oklahoma first in EV supercharging stations in the U.S. per capita and third overall in pure numbers of stations. EV Day helps to highlight this achievement as well as introducing Oklahomans to the many types of EVs being brought to market.”

The car show will showcase EVs of individual owners along with those sold by Oklahoma-authorized dealerships including Audi e-tron, Bison Superbike EV Bicycle, Chevrolet Bolt, Ford Fusion Plug-In Hybrid, Ford Mustang Mach-E, General Motors, Honda Insight, Mercedes-Benz SUV, Stellantis, Toyota RAV4 Prime, Plug-in Hybrid, Volkswagen ID.4, and Volvo XC40 Recharge.

Sen. Boren: (405) 521-5553 or Mary.Boren@oksenate.gov