What to See at Electrify Expo, the Festival of All Things Electric

Who gets to do that?!? It’s pretty special. Put yourself in the shoes of Lewis Hamilton or Max Verstappen, even if only for a moment, discover every turn and curve on the track and and imagine what it’s like to drive 200 MPH in a world class car. Spoiler alert: if you buy an EV you might actually get a similar feeling from the instant torque that they produce. It’s pretty awesome.

While Porsche didn’t offer test drives on the track, drivers are invited to take an electric Macan or Taycan out for a spin. When do you get the chance to drive a Porsche without an antsy salesman or a nervous owner hovering way too close?

Ford created an off-road rally dirt track where guests can hop in the passenger’s seat with a pro driver and drift through the dirt track. I’ve done it and I can tell you, it’s awesome. Electric cars are known for control, so for these things to let the rear wheels slide and spin and still allow the driver to maintain control is incredible. And worth the wait, which when I was there, wasn’t too painfully long.

Volvo has been on the electric train for a while, and the full lineup is on display at Electrify Expo. From the C40 to the EX30, which is not yet on sale in the US but is one of the cutest, most innovative cars out there, to the full-size 3-row EX90, you can see the full Volvo lineup. You can also sample the Volvo Immersion experience to see how they craft their materials from renewable plant-based materials, how their create zero-carbon approach to manufacturing works and what their view of the future looks like.

Here’s the funny thing: hybrid is electric, too. These systems get more miles out of each gallon of gas with battery-electric technology. At Electrify Expo you can climb through each Toyota hybrid, learn more about their plug-in hybrid electric tech and even get a peek at the prototype of the Lexus LX 700h, which isn’t even out yet (though, it will be soon and we’ll bring you that story as soon as we have it.

Tesla is one brand that you won’t see much of at car shows. They just aren’t there. But they turn out at Electrify Expo. The company has supported the festival since the start, bringing their cars, product specialists to answer questions and show off their cars. Yes, including Cybertrucks.

But, it’s a good question to ask if you’re thinkign about buying an EV. Regular tires work just fine on EVs, but they wear differently. And tney may be louder. And they may use more energy. EVs come equipped with the right tires, but learning about the right replacements is important to ensuring you get the most performance and efficiency from your car.

In fact, kids are welcome in many of the test drives. Street drives may require kids in car seats are properly secured. But even the more fun drives, like the Mustang Mach-E off road test drive welcome kids. And the smiles that the course will generate.

I hope the rumor isn’t true that Electrify Expo is moving from Austin. That just means I’ll have to drive to it next year, and make a weekend of it. But on second thought, that’s not such a bad idea. It’s a great event.