Our EV Test Drive & Information Expos are our largest events each year, held in April for Drive Electric Earth Month and in September for National Drive Electric Month. Experience test drives from among a wide range of EV models provided by local dealers, see local EV owner's vehicles on display and get real answers from the lived experience of real owners, watch half-hour presentations for beginners to experienced owners, and meet local companies offering helpful EV services. Get lunch at the on-site food carts with discounts for registered guests. There are gas to electric conversions, antique EVs, and more. It's a fun day!
We volunteer to help other organizations with EV education, the largest being the Drive Electric featured exhibit at the Oregon International Auto Show where our many OEVA volunteers share their EV experience with the visitors. And we help out at smaller events too, like the Lake Oswego Home & Vehicle Electrification Fair, and at EV events put on by PGE and Pacific Power. For fun and to let more people hear about the OEVA, we participate in Community Events like the 82nd Avenue of the Roses parade, and the Hillsboro Rotary 4th of July parade.
In the summer of 2024, we added several Special Events where we invite all local EV clubs and all EV owners and enthusiasts to join in to bring the local EV community together. This summer our 2nd Annual All-EVs Picnic at Tigard's Summerlake Park is Thursday, July 10th, 2025, 6:30-9PM. Group Drive to The Dalles: Bargeway Pub and the National Neon Sign Museum was June 14th, 2024.
We hold General Meetings on the second Thursday of every month, hosted by various EV business in the Portland area. We'll post details below early in the month. Our General Meetings are held on the second Thursday of every month. The OEVA Board meets at 6:30 PM, immediately before the General Meeting, and board meetings are open to all OEVA members. General Meetings are open to the public and begin at 7 PM with food and socializing. The informational program begins at 7:30 and runs about an hour, followed by more informal socializing. Festivities conclude by 9 PM.
To keep up with all our activities, subscribe to our email announcements here.
The Oregon Electric Vehicle Association presents Test Drive & Information Expo events twice a year, celebrating Drive Electric Earth Month in the spring and National Drive Electric Month in the fall, to not only help you find the best EV for you, but also to provide information to help you have your best experience after you get your EV.
We invite many local EV dealers to bring their EVs for you to test drive. There's no better way to compare vehicles than actually driving the cars that you are considering from the different manufacturers on the same route and on the same day, one after another. We encourage dealers to bring their full range of electric vehicles. On weekends there is very little traffic in the Swan Island industrial area, which helps you focus on experiencing the vehicles on your test drives.
Come see the widest range of EVs, all in one place. Adjacent to the Test Drive area, local dealers display their new vehicles for your inspection. Complementing the test drives, which give you the driving experience, the new vehicles on static display give you the opportunity to look them over in detail. Take your time to check out them out and ask the dealer representatives questions. They can answer questions on specs and availability and pricing. But to really know what it is like to own and use the vehicle on a daily basis, you need to talk to real owners. Take your time looking over static display models. Then walk over to the Owner Display Vehicles and talk with real owners and get their insights from daily use for years of those models.
Ah, the heart and soul of the OEVA! Owners showing their personal cars, answering guest questions from their real lived experience. We encourage our guests to talk with owners of the cars you are considering. From our volunteer-owners you can learn what it's like to live with that EV as a daily driver and for cross-country road trips. Ask nicely and they're generally happy to invite you sit in their vehicle while they describe and show you everything you want to know from their perspective of living with that EV. And for owners, every OEVA event is a great opportunity to share in the camaraderie of the EV community, inclusive of all Makes and Models.
The Daimler Headquarters building, south of the outdoor event space, has state of the art multimedia meeting spaces, and we're making use of them for presentations on topics for people new to EVs, as well as for experienced EV owners looking to learn more. Some things are best experienced, so we have test drives. Some things are best shown in the vehicle by a patient owner who has real world experience with the EV, so we many EV owner volunteers displaying their vehicles and answering your questions. But some topics are best explained in a presentation with photos and graphics. At each Test Drive & Information Expo we have great line-up of presentations on a wide range of topics, from the basics geared to beginners (like charging), to advanced topics for experienced owners to expand their EV knowledge. Presentations are less than a half hour, so that we can fit in eight or ten. You're sure to find several that will interest you!
Time Subject Presenter
11:00 Subject will be listed here Presenter will be listed here
These labors of love are magnificent one-of-a-kind creations, starting with a gas vehicle and transforming it for the fuel of the 21st Century. Curious about what it takes, or are you looking to create your own special vehicle? People who have done it are there to answer all your questions, and show you the meticulous work they've done. And if you're interested in Gas to EV conversions, don't miss Summer Schneider's presentation about converting his gas Fiat 600 to electric drive.
We're putting extra effort into expanding exhibitor participation, giving you the opportunity to meet with local companies providing EV-related products and services. If you're looking for an EV charger or installation, repair options, or other EV needs, check out the local business tents.
As a special Thank-You for attending the event, the OEVA will give up to 400 registered guests a $10 discount coupon for purchasing food from the on-site food truck, Getta Gyro, returning again with their delicious Mediterranean food. And for the people who help put on the event an even better deal: The EV owners who display their vehicle and answer questions in the Owner Display Vehicles and Conversion Vehicles areas, the volunteers whose efforts make the event go smoothly, Keynote presenters, and dealer staff, the OEVA will provide coupons to comp selected meals including a drink. Such a deal!
We have a large parking lot at 4085 N Anchor St, Portland, for free Guest Parking (green rectangle above). The event is open for guests from 10 AM to 4 PM, Saturday September 13th, 2025.
Owner display vehicles and Dealer display and test drive vehicles are at the Event Site at 4555 N Channel Ave, Portland (yellow rectangle above). Please arrive between 9 AM and 9:30 AM for setup, so everything is in place and ready before the 10 AM opening to the public. Other than test drive vehicles, all vehicles are to be on static display until the event closes at 4 PM. If you need to leave earlier or arrive later, please contact OEVA Volunteer Coordinator Ken Hoffman, Volunteer@oeva.org, to see if an accommodation can be made in your case. For public safety we only allow moving vehicles in the limited-access Test Drive Vehicles area.
The event is free and open to everyone interested in Electric Vehicles. Register now at:
https://driveelectricmonth.org/event?eventid=4852
We'll put picture carousels from our recent events here. Click on the image to stop the carousel from advancing, then use the arrows on the right and left to advance through the images. For archived announcements for our past events, visit these pages: 2025 Past Events, 2024 Events, 2023 Events.
Here's a list of our Monthly General Meetings, EV Test Drive & Information Expos, and select Special Events:
2023
June 8 Tesla Macadam in Portland
July 13 Polestar in NW Portland
August 10 BMW Portland in Goose Hollow
September 14 Herzog-Meier VW in Beaverton
October 8 Test Drive & Expo at Tesla Macadam
October 12 EV Drive in Swan Island
November 9 Tesla Macadam in Portland
December 14 Holiday Party at Aviation American Gin
2024
January 11 Kia of Portland on NE Grand Ave
February 8 Daimler Truck NA on Swan Island
March 14 Portland Rivian Service Center
April 11 QC Charge of Portland
April 28 Test Drive & Expo at Daimler Truck
May 9 Tesla Tigard
June 13 Ron Tonkin Chevrolet in Portland
July 11 BBQ Picnic in Summerlake Park Tigard
July 27 Western Aeroplane & Automobile Museum
August 8 Polestar in NW Portland
August 17 BBQ Picnic at Wildwood Recreation Site
2024 (Continued)
September 12 Titan Freight Systems Hub in Clackamas
September 15 Test Drive & Expo at Daimler Truck
October 10 Damerow Ford in Beaverton
November 14 The Steward in Tigard
December 12 Holiday Party McMenamins Cedar Hills
2025
January 9 Kia of Portland on NE Grand Ave
February 13 Meeting cancelled due to weather
March 13 Tesla Tigard (cancelled, shooting)
April 10 Ranger EV in SE Portland
April 27 Test Drive & Expo at Daimler Truck
May 8 Rivian in Bridgeport Village
June 12 Trimet Powell Garage Tour
June 14 Drive to The Dalles, Neon Museum
July 10 BBQ Picnic in Summerlake Park Tigard
August 6 Show Your EV & Tour PGE Operations Ctr
August 14 Skip Tech in SE Portland
September 11 OEVA Meeting Location TBD
September 13 Test Drive & Expo at Daimler Truck