Founder Chelsea Sexton Type of business 501(c)(3) | Founded 24 August 2005 | |
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Focus Plug-in electric vehicles Key people Joel Levin (Executive Director), Michael Thwaite (President of the Board), Richard Kelly (Vice President), Jeff Finn (Secretary and Treasurer), Jay Friedland (Legislative Director), Tom Saxton (Chief Science Officer), Zan Dubin Scott (Co-Founder NDEW), Paul Scott (Founder) Mission "Plug In America drives change. We accelerate the shift to plug-in vehicles powered by clean, affordable, domestic electricity to reduce our nation's dependence on petroleum and improve the global environment." Similar CalCars, American Council on Renewab, Rocky Mountain Institute, American Public Power As, American Wind Energy A Profiles | ||
Plug In America (PIA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational organization that promotes and advocates the use of plug-in cars, trucks and sports utility vehicles (SUVs) powered by domestic and renewable electricity which it claims will help reduce dependence on fossil fuels, improve the global environment and reduce greenhouse gases and climate change.
PIA advocates the development of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, battery electric vehicles, and other vehicles which use electricity, from the power grid or from electricity-generating devices such as solar cells, as a substantial source of motive energy.
History
Plug In America was initiated by Don't Crush, a coalition organized to stop automobile manufacturers from destroying electric vehicles at the end of their lease. Because of Don't Crush's previous success in preventing the destruction of Toyota and Ford electric car models, and exposing General Motors' decision to discontinue its plug-in hybrid, the group hoped to strengthen its cause for plug-in vehicles by forming PIA. According to a company press release, Plug In America strives to "revive plug-in auto production" by collaborating with a variety of public and private organizations and businesses to promote "cleaner, cheaper, domestic sources of energy." The organization works in conjunction with environmental groups, such as the Sierra Club and automobile corporations, such as Toyota, GM, and Nissan. Plug In America launched National Plug In Day in 2011, and with partners Sierra Club and Electric Auto Association, have grown the celebration to National Drive Electric Week. In 2015, nearly 200 cities in the US and Canada participated, with more than 130,000 people attending.