Atlanta, Ill., organizes a cruise for all-electric vehicles

Credit the town of Atlanta, Ill., to find a new twist to the typical Route 66 car cruise — it has organized an event for all-electric vehicles on June 8.

The Electric Vehicle Cruise-In will be from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. that day in downtown Atlanta, where an older alignment of Route 66 runs. From the news release:

When Route 66 was commissioned in 1926, it helped develop the gas and service stations that today we take for granted. Back then, however, these fixtures of the highway didn’t exist. If you wanted gas for your new automobile, you had to go to the local hardware or grocery store, where you’d find a single gas pump the owner had put in to earn a little extra cash.

With the huge increase in automobile traffic created by Route 66, the need for businesses dedicated solely to serving the traveling public arose – and service stations were born.

Route 66 is now poised to help create the next big transportation infrastructure needing to be developed: charging stations for electric vehicles. Atlanta is interested in helping other Route 66 communities discover how to better serve the traveling public that will be searching not for a pump, but a plug-in. Attend Illinois’ first Electric Vehicle Cruise-in on June 8, check out some cool EV cars, and learn more about how the Mother Road is working to give birth to a new travel infrastructure.

The release goes on to plug the town’s downtown businesses and landmarks, including the Palms Grill Cafe, J.H. Hawes Grain Elevator Museum, Bunyon Giant, Gunnar Mast Trading Post, Chubby’s restaurant, Atlanta Museum, Arch Street Artisans, and The Korner tavern.

Atlanta was among the first Route 66 towns to establish an EV charging station. Best of all, to top off the batteries, Atlanta will do it free of charge.

(Photo of Dodge concept electric vehicle by saebaryo, via Flickr)

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