Dufferin County and Plug’n Drive bring EV test drives to Orangeville and surrounding area
The County of Dufferin, Town of Orangeville and Plug’n Drive will bring a fleet of all-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles for test drives as well as key information right to consumers from May 1 to May 18 at MEET Orangeville at the Alder Recreation Centre, at 275 Alder St., Orangeville, ON L9W 5H6.
This will be the second stop of the Eastern leg of Plug’n Drive’s EVs are for Everyone Cross-Canada Tour, a groundbreaking initiative bringing electric vehicle (EV) education and test drives to communities across the country, brought to the Orangeville area in part by Tour National Champion RBC.
Presented by the County of Dufferin as Local Presenting Sponsor, there will be five different EVs for local drivers to sample.
“Electric vehicles offer health and climate benefits through lower emissions that are key to a cleaner future, but are also a growing part of the present for many Canadians,” said Sara MacRae, Manager of Energy and Climate at the County of Dufferin. “Whether visitors drive EVs now or are looking to learn about how they would fit into their lives, we are excited to partner with Plug’n Drive to bring free EV test drives to Dufferin County.”
Over the three weekends between May 1 and Sunday May 18, the fleet of EVs will be available for test drives Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Alder Recreation Centre in Orangeville, with test drives available to be scheduled now, or in person if available. The Town of Orangeville is also a Local Site Sponsor, and was key to bringing the EVs and information to local drivers.
Experience EV Test Drives with Plug’n Drive
There will be five different EVs available to test drive, including a long-range electric pickup from Chevrolet, electric sedans from Hyundai and Polestar, a Mitsubishi plug-in hybrid SUV, and an all-electric Volvo compact SUV.
Organizing the test drives and answering EV questions will be EV Ambassadors from Canadian non-profit Plug’n Drive, which takes EVs to communities across the country.
“It’s a tumultuous time in the auto industry right now, and savvy consumers are considering whether it may be wise to look into new or used EVs sooner than later,” said Tracy Walden, Vice President of Engagement at Plug’n Drive. “These test drive events are an easy way to experience how smooth and futuristic they feel from behind the wheel, plus ask questions surrounding overall EV ownership in Ontario.”
List of EVs available for test drives
Attendees will have the opportunity to test drive five electric vehicles from five EV brands, including:
- 2025 Chevrolet Silverado EV
- 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 6 EV
- 2024 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV
- 2024 Polestar 2 EV
- 2024 Volvo XC40 EV
Interested drivers at the Alder Recreation Centre can book test drives in advance, though drop-ins will be welcome as well. Test drivers must be 21 with a valid full/unrestricted Class 5 driver’s license. Hours for the Alder Recreation Centre test drives are:
- Thursday May 1 to Sunday May 4, 2025, 10:00am-5 pm
- Thursday May 8 to Sunday May 11, 2025, 10:00am-5 pm
- Thursday May 15 to Sunday May 18, 2025, 10:00am-5 pm
Other MEET Orangeville EV Test Drive Locations
Branching out from MEET Orangeville, EV Roadshows will also offer EV test drives with EV Ambassadors in four other locations in or near Orangeville during those three weeks, all hosted at local NAPA AUTO locations.
“NAPA AUTOPRO is happy to help bring EV test drives and more first-hand EV owner information to consumers as part of Plug’n Drive’s Cross Canada Tour,” said Yves Racette, Director of NAPA’s High Voltage/NexDrive program, which specializes in electrified vehicle (EV and hybrid) maintenance and repair. “These EV Roadshow days at local NAPA locations are a great way to showcase the latest EV technology to the local community, and provide extra value and information to our customers.”
These EV Roadshow events take place on Mondays, Tuesdays or Wednesdays, and unlike the MEET, there is no sign-up list. The test drives at the Roadshows are available on a first come, first served basis.
“We’re happy to bring these EVs to five nearby NAPA locations throughout May,” said Camille Jobin, Marketing Coordinator for NAPA. “Customers and visitors in Flesherton, Brantford, Shelburne, Ingersoll and Springwater near Barrie will be able to test drive any or all of the vehicles with a Plug’n Drive EV Ambassador, and get answers to questions they may have about making the switch to electric.”
These locations include:
Flesherton, ON N0C 1E0
Brantford, ON N3R 7K2
Shelburne, ON L9V 2Z4
Ingersoll, ON N5C 1J9
Springwater, ON L9X 0R8
Media and Public Invited to Engage with Plug’n Drive
