It's been a difficult decision, but Robert's due to reveal a new venue for Fully Charged LIVE very soon
At a recent event with Google, I heard electric vehicle videos described as ‘the test drive before the test drive’, and with hundreds of episodes on YouTube, Fully Charged has this subject comprehensively covered.
Critically though, after our audience has seen one of our videos – especially as for many driving electric is an entirely new experience – we need to get as many people as possible in an EV.
After all, while they are almost certain to be interested, around 70% of our audience are yet to purchase an electric vehicle.
Equally, it is not as if test driving an EV through the traditional dealership model is entirely seamless.
And as anyone who drives one will attest, once we get consumers in an electric car, it will do the rest.
So we’re big believers in giving Fully Charged fans the opportunity to touch the technologies that are transforming transport AND energy.
In that respect, the combination of Fully Charged on YouTube and our Fully Charged LIVE exhibition has been hugely effective in switching consumers to electric bikes, electric cars, clean energy tariffs, chargers, solar, batteries, heat pumps and much more.
Naturally then, with decarbonisation in mind, we are in a burning rush to create more LIVE events, maximise the amount of consumers that can experience and play a positive role in taking these technologies from the margins to the mainstream.
As a number of factors align – Tesla delivering in volume, VW and other manufacturers stepping up, carbon emission targets kicking in, zeroing out of company car tax etc – it is clear to us that 2020, 2021 and 2022 could be a decisive period of time.
To that end, we are working to launch our first Fully Charged LIVE in the USA in 2020, and our first Fully Charged LIVE in Europe in 2021 to help prime the pump in those regions.
Back in Britain, the rapid growth of Fully Charged LIVE has been remarkable, especially against an uncertain economic background, and we are only in the foothills of that growth.
So when we announced the show almost 2 years ago to the day, we thought that Silverstone, would be able to accommodate us for many years to come.
Little did we realise how quickly we would outgrow the Silverstone Wing and surrounding Paddock area.
Additionally, it is hard to argue that from a geographical perspective – whether it’s the distance from connecting train stations or the lack of charging infrastructure in the area – that Silverstone is the optimal venue for a show about clean energy and electric vehicles.
Furthermore, if test drives are an important element of Fully Charged LIVE we are already restricted as to how many we are able to offer at a racing circuit in the countryside.
With all those factors in mind, in recent months we have realised that we were seriously restricting the growth of the show and more to the point, restricting the amount of consumers we could convert to electric vehicles and clean energy.
So after months of angst-ridden deliberation, we are days away from announcing a new venue and new dates for Fully Charged LIVE 2020.
This wasn’t a straightforward decision, and Robert and I would like to offer our sincere apologies for making this change now, when some of our fans will have made arrangements for next year.
Hopefully, our reasoning as explained above will offer some much-needed context, and those affected will understand why we have taken this decision.
The new venue will enable us to take Fully Charged LIVE to the next level and move EVs and clean energy into the mainstream.
All will be revealed in the coming days, but one thing we can confirm is that the venue selected is further south than Silverstone.
It’s important to say that we are keen to explore launching a complimentary LIVE event in the North in the not too distant future. But one step at a time!
Additionally, when we announce the new venue and the new dates we will be announcing a new headline sponsor, and we hope that you will give them a warm welcome too.
So stay tuned to Fully Charged on YouTube for more information soon, and we look forward to seeing you at a bigger and better Fully Charged LIVE in 2020.
Thank you for your support!
Dan Caesar, Managing Director
If your business is interested in being involved at Fully Charged LIVE in the US, UK or Europe please email commercial@fullychargedshow.co.uk
Fully Charged LIVE North America 2020 - Austin Texas - Live Sessions
