Celebrating Chapter Successes and Building for More Growth
EVA Gathered in Denver for 2026 Annual Member Summit & Awards
On May 30, chapter leaders, advocates, and national staff from across the country came together in Denver, Colorado for the Electric Vehicle Association's 2026 Annual Member Summit & Awards: a full day of learning, collaboration, and celebration centered on one overarching goal: learning from each other's successes.
Welcomed by new national President Kate Kruk, the summit brought together EVA's growing network at a pivotal moment for the organization and for the broader EV community. The day's agenda wove together strategic reports, breakout sessions, a panel discussion, and an annual awards ceremony honoring the individuals and organizations making a tangible difference in EV education and adoption.
Growth by the Numbers
Executive Director Chris Celek delivered an encouraging annual report highlighting meaningful progress across every dimension of the organization.
EVA now counts 57 chapters across 30 states and Puerto Rico, an increase of 11 chapters over the past year. New chapters launched in Georgia, Michigan, Ohio, New Mexico, Puerto Rico, Southern Illinois, Maine, and Flathead, Montana. Membership grew to 1,244 members, up 240 year over year,. EVA's combined audience (members, newsletter subscribers, blog readers, and social media follower) reached more than 112,000 people.
EVA chapters also continued to punch above their weight in national events. Nearly 60 percent of all Drive Electric Earth Month and National Drive Electric Month events nationwide were organized by EVA chapters.
Highlights from the Past Year
The report spotlighted additional notable accomplishments from 2025–2026:
EV Love Stories — A Valentine's Day campaign generated stories from 38 members representing 15 chapters, reaching 26,500 views on social media. The campaign put a human face on EV ownership with members sharing why they love their vehicles.
EV Charging Summit & Expo — EVA introduced the association and our volunteer network to charging hardware and software manufacturers and gained in five new business members. EVA now counts 11 business members nationally.
New White Paper — Board member John Higham authored an EVA white paper in which he makes the case that EV charging must be simplified for mainstream consumers, with a particular emphasis on open data sharing between charging networks and vehicles.
Media and Policy Presence — EVA leaders were interviewed by the Associated Press, Politico, Utility Dive, Marketplace, Real Clear Politics, and the Dallas Morning News. Board members John Higham and Andy Fraser, along with Executive Director Chris Celek, testified before the federal Environmental Protection Agency in support of maintaining clean air standards.
10,000 EV Rides — EVA members provided 30 percent of all EV rides as part of a nationwide campaign with Generation 180 toward a goal of taking 10,000 family members, friends, neighbors, and co-workers on their first EV ride.
Financial Stability
Treasurer Andy Fraser presented a financial overview showing that EVA remains on solid footing. The organization draws revenue from three sources: membership fees, donations, and an EV education grant used to provide test drives at community events nationwide. EVA maintains healthy reserves in cash on hand and chapter funds.
Panel: Action to Impact
A highlight of the afternoon was a panel session titled "Action to Impact," moderated by EVA Board Member Ashley Lynn Qua and featuring Bryn Grunwald (Rocky Mountain Institute), Mike Salisbury (Colorado Energy Office), and Meagan Seferovich from the National Energy Foundation (NEF). The conversation explored how local chapters can translate grassroots activity into measurable community impact and where national campaigns and partnerships can amplify that work.
The 2026 EVA Annual Awards
The summit's awards ceremony recognized exceptional contributors across seven categories:
Charging Reliability Champion – DC Station: Bruce Volz was recognized for his commitment to multiple fast charging ports, strong customer service, and hands-on EV education at DC Station.
Charging Reliability Champion – EV Basecamp: Greg Goff, inspired by his first Level 3 charging experience in 2017, was honored for building EV Basecamp around dependable fast charging, short wait times, and strong operational partnerships.
EV Influencer of the Year: Bill Pierce, owner of EVinfo.net, was honored for his consistent coverage of the EV industry and his work connecting with leaders across the sector.
Champion of the Year: David Holland, who bought his first EV in 2019, was recognized for his passion for e-mobility and the community he has helped build around it.
Chapter of the Year: EVA of Ohio was celebrated for growing its reach and engaging new audiences across the Buckeye State — a testament to the power of volunteer-led outreach.
Educator of the Year (Individual): Michael Hornsby was honored for a decade of work demystifying EVs for first responders and the public, improving safety for firefighters while supporting broader EV adoption.
Educator of the Year (Organization): Electric For All, Powered by Veloz received recognition for its partnership-driven approach to EV education and trust-building ahead of the next wave of adoption.
Utility of the Year: El Paso Electric was recognized for serving bilingual communities with hands-on EV experiences, focusing on accessibility and customer-centered outreach.
Legislative Ambassador of the Year: State Rep. Nicole Lowen (Hawaii) was honored for championing legislation establishing Hawaii's EV charging station rebate program and advancing the state's transition to zero-emission government fleets.
Looking Ahead: 2026–2027 Priorities
Closing out the summit, national leaders outlined four strategic priorities for the year ahead:
Support and grow chapters through collaborative leader meetings, campaign materials, templates, brand alignment support, and improved chapter fund management.
Grow EVA's reach across its social platforms with continued reliably accurate EV facts.
Increase sponsorship and community partnerships by exploring new event formats and locations with a rallying call to "boldly show up where no EV has gone before."
Align messaging around real member stories, meeting people where they are, and keeping the focus on facts: EVs create jobs, save consumers money, and reduce emissions.
The overarching theme closing out our summit was simple: keep our feet on the accelerator. Now is the time for public shows of EV support, authentic storytelling, and community outreach that go beyond the EV-enthusiast bubble.
Photos from the EVA Annual Member Summit 2026
