With a recent push from state leaders to move away from gas powered cars by 2035, electric vehicles are set to become the standard in California. 

To promote their use, California State University, Northridge is hosting its second annual electric vehicle car show and roundtable discussion on the future of such vehicles on Wednesday, April 26. The event will begin at 11 a.m. with the car show on the lawn of CSUN’s Sustainability Center, located on the corner of Lindley Avenue and Vincennes Street, with an invitation-only discussion scheduled to take place at noon. 

“California car culture is huge and we are a commuter campus, so it makes sense to put all of these things together,” said Yan Searcy, dean of CSUN’s College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, home of the Institute for Sustainability. “Most people are familiar with EV’s but I also think that there’s still a bit of a curiosity, so the event is an opportunity to be up close and personal and also in a non-stress environment.” 

Searcy said events like this go a long way in starting discussions on alternative fuel options and the benefits of zero-emission vehicles. 

The free electric vehicle show will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and offers attendees the opportunity to test drive cars from such automakers as Ford, Polstar, Porsche, Volkswagen and Volvo. Around 20 cars are expected to be available for use. 

The roundtable discussion “The Future of Electric Vehicles” will feature representatives from Porsche, Chevrolet, Volkswagen and Chargie, which is developing a nationwide network of charging stations to support electric vehicle drivers. Panelists will discuss electric vehicles and what the public should expect as the state moves to decrease carbon emissions. To attend the discussion, email csbsevents@csun.edu. 

For more information about the event, visit https://www.csun.edu/social-behavioral-sciences/events/2nd-annual-electric-vehicle-ev-car-show-and-panel-discussion-csun