On December 21 at 10 PM ET, NBC Sports will feature a documentary about Charge Across America, and reveal the winners of the US’ first-ever cross-country electric vehicle rally. Over the course of 10 days in the fall, five teams drove from New York City to Los Angeles, using only electric vehicles. The event aimed to demystify electric vehicles, demonstrate the cars’ impressive capabilities, and highlight areas that need to be addressed in order to foster mass adoption of EVs across locations and demographics. “Driving across the United States in an electric vehicle was exhilarating and eye opening,” said Mike Landau, CEO of ParkMyFleet, a mobility company that served as a platinum sponsor for Charge Across America. “I saw firsthand how far we’ve come in the EV revolution and how close we are to achieving zero emissions.” The teams, which included drivers with and without EV experience, faced the common challenges that come with driving long distances — including route navigation and fatigue. But they also grappled with ones unique to driving EVs: Determining how far to drive before charging, identifying conveniently-located charging stations and being met with malfunctioning chargers. From coast-to-coast, the participants used approximately 30 charging stations with about 150 charging sessions with various charging providers to complete the drive. This was possible because of the robust Ultra-Fast charging network built by Electrify America. Teams earned points throughout the competition based on a number of factors, including strategy, arriving first to a destination, and giving back to local establishments and causes. “Having five teams drive the same route 'stress-tested' the existing infrastructure, which provided key insights on the opportunities needed to move forward,” said Kristin Slanina, Managing Director of Charge Across America. At several locations on the route, Charge Across America hosted events to highlight the technology advancements and initiatives ushering in the EV revolution and to meet with leaders in the industry. On Oct. 31, Charge Across America kicked off in Brooklyn, New York at the fast-charging Superhub at Revel, an electric mobility company, where a number of activists shared their thoughts on the EV landscape. The following day, CAA hosted an exclusive dinner event at the American Center for Mobility in Ypsilanti, Michigan. "This tour is showing that it is already possible to travel from coast-to-coast in an EV,” Jennifer Granholm, US Secretary of Energy, said in her remarks at the Michigan event. “Thanks so much to Charge Across America and ParkMyFleet for pioneering this EV race across our nation." On Nov. 8, CAA held a mid-reception rally at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. It was an especially significant stop because Nevada is the domestic lithium hub, leading the effort to power EVs into the future. “Nevada’s emergence as a world leader in the lithium-ion battery economy is such great news," Nevada Senator Catherine Cortez Masto said at the event. "We are committed to transforming that convoluted supply-chain and utilizing Nevada’s assets to bring profound environmental benefits to the battery manufacturing and recycling process." TangentVector, an award-winning production company, filmed the entirety of Charge Across America and produced a documentary about the groundbreaking event. CAA was sponsored by a number of key industry players, including Cambridge Mobile Telematics, Dave Cantin Group/Westlake Autoscape, Velodyne Lidar, Ship Your Car Now, Thirdware, and US Bank Voyager. ParkMyFleet, a mobility company, served as a platinum sponsor throughout the event. “There’s so much great progress being made in electric vehicles, but there are still key opportunities to address,” said Slanina. “Charge Across America has offered up clarity as to where the deficiencies lie and how we can target investment money to improve EV standards and increase mass adoption.” The Charge Across America documentary airs on NBC Sports on December 21 at 10 PM ET. To learn more, visit ChargeAcrossAmerica.com and check us out on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
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