- Lucid Gravity will be available for public test drives for the first time at Electrify Expo Seattle.
- The $7,500 federal EV tax credit will be cut starting September 30, pushing buyers to act now.
- Electrify Expo Seattle will offer real on-road demo drives with top brands, and even Tesla Weekender take-home experiences.
ADVERTISEMENT
What do you get when you mix a luxury SUV no one outside a waitlist has driven, flying taxis, X Games riders flipping electric dirt bikes, and a ticking federal tax deadline? You get Electrify Expo, coming to Marymoor Park in Redmond, Washington on July 12-13.
And this is butts-in-seats, tires-on-pavement, throttle-twist, try-it-before-you-judge-it realness. And for anyone even remotely curious about hybrid, plug-in hybrid, or all-electric vehicles, this might be your last chance to feel the excitement before the government rips a big chunk out of your rebate.
Let’s begin with the most pressing detail… the $7,500 federal EV tax credit that has helped make new electric vehicles more affordable is being reduced starting September 30. That is just three months away. Some vehicles will see their credit cut in half, while others will lose eligibility altogether. This pending change is already prompting many buyers to act quickly.
People are skipping showroom talk and heading straight to the driver’s seat. The reason is because once you drive an EV, the experience speaks for itself. And when that tax credit disappears or shrinks, the missed opportunity will feel much larger.
BJ Birtwell, CEO and Founder of Electrify Expo, gets it too. “We’re seeing growing interest from curious consumers who want to experience EVs firsthand before taking the leap,” he said. “Electrify Expo delivers that lightbulb moment by offering exciting experiences for attendees to discover the benefits of going electric.”
ADVERTISEMENT
And Seattle is the perfect spot for it. Washington currently ranks third in the U.S. for EV market share with over 223,000 electric vehicles registered across the state, including hybrids and plug-in hybrids. In King County alone, more than 113,000 EVs, including all powertrains, are already on the road.
This year’s Expo features hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and all-electric models across demo zones, giving attendees a chance to compare how each drivetrain performs in real-world conditions. Wonder how a plug-in hybrid handles traffic versus a full EV? You can find out, on the streets of Redmond, not just a closed track.
But it’s not just stats and sentiment. It’s about experience. And this year, Electrify Expo’s lineup is stacked. The public can finally test drive the Lucid Gravity, a three-row luxury electric SUV that’s been all tease and no touch, until now. Previously, only reservation holders got a shot. Now, anyone with a valid license and a little patience in the demo line can get behind the wheel and see what the hype’s really about.
Tesla is turning it up a notch too. Through the Electrify Expo’s Weekender program, you’re not limited to a lap around the venue. Attendees can actually take a Tesla home for the weekend. Yep, live with it. Grocery runs, kid drop-offs, midnight drive-thrus… whatever your daily grind is, this lets you see how an EV fits into it.
And Electrify Expo is also full-blown micromobility mayhem with top-tier e-bikes, scooters, and motorcycles from names like ONYX Motors, P-51 Bikes, Terra Bikes, Ghostcat, and E-Z-GO.
You can hop on, hit the throttle, and feel every twist, brake, and bump in the road. And for those who crave a little more chaos, the Electric Freestyle Motocross Stunt Zone is bringing in X Games Gold Medalist Destin Cantrell and his team. These guys don’t just ride. They launch. They flip. On electric dirt bikes. Yes, electric. And yes, mid-air.
ADVERTISEMENT
And just when you think you’ve seen it all, the Pivotal Helix rolls in. This electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft (yes, a real flying car) will be on display in Seattle. It may not be commuting-ready yet, but it’s real, it exists, and you’ll be able to see it up close.
Back to ground level. The Ride and Drive experience is what Electrify Expo is known for. Real cars. Real roads. You can test drive hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and all-electric vehicles from major automakers including:
- Lucid: Air Pure, Air Touring, Gravity
- Ford: F-150 Lightning, Mustang Mach-E
- Kia: EV6, EV9, Sorento PHEV
- Lexus: RX 450h+, RZ 450e, TX 500h
- Porsche: Macan 4S/Turbo, Taycan, Taycan 4/4S/Cross Turismo
- Tesla: Cybertruck, Model 3, Model Y
- Toyota: 4Runner Hybrid, bZ4X, Land Cruiser, Prius Prime, RAV4 Prime, Tacoma Hybrid
The goal is to help you feel the difference, not just see specs on a brochure. And for those trying to compare fuel savings or understand how plug-in hybrids split duties between electric and gas, these test drives are eye-opening.
And if you need a break between drives, grab some food, kick back in the VIP lounge (if you have the Power Pack ticket), or swing by the Electrify Showoff zone, driven by Yokohama Tires, where you’ll find custom-built EVs and head-turning rides you won’t see at your local dealer.
You’ll also find gear and accessories, sustainability booths, and hands-on charging demos. For anyone with questions about range anxiety, home charging setups, battery lifespan, available incentives, or how to lock in that soon-to-be-shrinking tax credit, head to the EV Reality Check stage powered by GreenCars. Local experts will be breaking it all down, making sense of the fine print and giving real answers to real questions.
ADVERTISEMENT
Here’s how it breaks down. Electrify Expo runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. General Admission is $20, giving you full-day access to all zones and demo courses starting at 10 a.m.
If you want to beat the crowds and get early access at 9 a.m., plus skip the regular lines and relax in a VIP lounge, that’s where the $99 Power Pack comes in, and it’s a smart pick if you’d rather not stand behind someone endlessly debating between a Mach-E and a Model Y.
You’ve got a chance to test hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric vehicles side-by-side throughout the day with heavy hitters like Ford, Porsche, Toyota, Lexus, Kia, Tesla, and Lucid. But what makes the Seattle event unique is the scale. More than one million square feet of festival space. Real streets in Redmond for driving.
This is no closed-loop test ride. You’re driving on real streets, with real traffic, so you can feel the difference when you merge, brake, or take a turn. And honestly, what hits harder: reading about it or actually doing it?
And the energy is completely contagious. Not the artificial hype kind. The real kind. Where a 12-year-old flies past you on a GoTrax electric scooter while someone’s grandma is test driving a Lexus RZ. Where parents geek out over Terra Bikes while their kids stare wide-eyed at electric motocross backflips. It’s pure chaos. Controlled, electric, and absolutely unforgettable.
What’s also real is the urgency. The EV tax credit cut is official, and automakers know it. That’s why many are offering limited-time lease deals, lower APRs, and added perks to move metal before the credit shrinks.
But none of that matters if you don’t get in the seat and feel it. “Experience is everything,” says Birtwell. “People don’t buy EVs because someone told them to. They buy them because they drove one and realized it just makes sense.”
So here’s the truth. You can sit around and read about EVs all summer. Or you can grab a ticket, hit Marymoor Park, and actually drive one. Feel the instant torque. The quiet. The tech. You’ll know. And with the clock ticking on that federal credit, now is probably the smartest time all year to take that test drive.
Grab your tickets to Electrify Expo Seattle now and get behind the wheel while it counts. Visit ElectrifyExpo.com to lock in your spot.
ADVERTISEMENT
IMAGES: ELECTRIFY EXPO
FTC: We use income-earning auto affiliate links. Learn more.
