Welcome North Central WA EVA: Two Decades of Grassroots EV Advocacy Finds a New Home

For more than 20 years, a dedicated group of volunteers in north central Washington has been doing the quiet, essential work of electrifying a region; one conversation, one charging station, and one community fair at a time. Now, as their longtime parent organization prepares to dissolve, that work is entering a new chapter — literally. Plug-In NCW is joining EVA as our newest chapter: North Central WA EVA.

A mission that started in 2005

Since 2005, this all-volunteer group has advocated for electric vehicles and sustainable transportation of all kinds, while educating the public across north central Washington on the benefits of going electric. Long before EVs were a familiar sight on the region's highways, these volunteers were already showing up — at fairs, community events, and anywhere people had questions about what EV ownership actually looked like.

Building the backbone: the Hal2 charging network

In 2013, the group took that advocacy a step further and did something few community organizations were doing at the time: they started building their own charging infrastructure. Partnering with host locations throughout north central Washington, they installed a network of high-amperage Level 2 "Hal2" charging stations along the region's major travel routes.

At its peak, the network grew to 22 stations, installed at a time when there were no other public charging options anywhere in north central Washington. For EV drivers passing through the region, these stations weren't just a convenience. For many, they were the only option.

Today, 17 of those original stations remain in the network. Others have since transitioned to privately owned or commercial network stations; a sign of how much the group's early investment helped establish EV charging as a normal part of the region's infrastructure.

Showing up, year after year

Charging stations tell only part of the story. Just as important has been the group's steady, visible presence in the community. Every year, they exhibit at Earth Day Fairs in Chelan, Wenatchee, and Leavenworth, meeting curious residents where they already are and patiently answering the same honest questions about range, cost, charging, and what it's really like to drive electric.

They've also built a tradition of their own: the annual EV Lineup, a gathering that gives local EV owners a chance to show off their vehicles, swap notes, and welcome newcomers who are just starting to consider making the switch.

A name that's evolved, a mission that hasn't

Over the years, the organization's name has changed more than once, reflecting its growth along the way. Today it operates as Plug-In NCW, and its work can be found at pluginncw.com.

The next chapter

With their longtime parent organization dissolving, the volunteers behind Plug-In NCW made the decision to keep their mission alive by joining EVA: becoming our newest chapter, North Central WA EVA.

It's a natural fit. For two decades, this group has done exactly what EVA chapters do best: advocate locally, educate patiently, and build the infrastructure that makes EV adoption possible in places larger networks haven't reached yet.

We're excited to welcome North Central WA EVA into the EVA family, and we look forward to supporting the work they've been doing since 2005…now under a new banner.