by 
Clean Cruise 2026 – Jamie Racklyeft, MED
U-M Electric Vehicle Center
My name is Jamie, and I’m the Communication Director at the University of Michigan Electric Vehicle Center – for the third year in a row, a proud sponsor of the Clean Cruise.
But before I tell you about that, I want to tell you about a kid born in Detroit who grew up loving cars.
Whenever my dad would bring home a new car, the whole family would pile in and ride around the block. It was an event. Didn’t matter where we went.
We were just… in the new car. And it was magic.
My Grandpa, who I called More Dad, was 67 when he got a 67 Chevy Chevelle SS with a 396. I was about 38 when I got a 68 Chevy Corvette with a 427. Muscle cars are in my DNA.
I’ve been to more Woodward Dream Cruises and Detroit Auto Shows than I can count. I’ve spent more time watching NASCAR, IndyCar, GT, and Formula 1 racing than anything else on any given Sunday. All my life I loved the sound and fury of a big V8, and I was sure – absolutely sure – that I always would.
Then in 2014, a friend said six words: „Want to go for a ride?” She had a Tesla Model S. Sure, why not?
That ride changed my life. I am not exaggerating. I got out of that car and I thought, „That’s it. That’s the future.” The silent swiftness, the way it just moved – it was unlike anything I’d ever felt, except maybe the Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point. And I’d driven a lot of cars, but nothing was like that first electric experience.
I reserved a Model 3 in 2015, and 974 days later – yes, I counted – I had one in my driveway. I couldn’t believe how quiet it was. I couldn’t believe how freaking quick it was. And I really couldn’t believe how much I missed going to the gas station. Which was not at all. Although I do still sneak in now and then to wash the bugs off my windshield.
Now here’s where the story gets a little weird. I’d been working at the U of M Medical School for about 15 years in health research communication. My family and I headed out on our first European vacation where I swore I was not going to check my email. We’re in Paris. I’m eating croissants. Life is good. And then I thought, “Wait. Did I apply for a job before I left?”
I checked. I had. And they wanted to interview me. From Paris. So I did a Zoom interview from a fancy French hotel board room, nailed it, then had to complete a project by Saturday at midnight – and thanks to the six-hour time difference, I pulled that off too.
That job was Communication Director at the brand-new Electric Vehicle Center – a startup within U of M. I had two EVs in my garage by then, so honestly, I still don’t know why I even had to interview. But I got the offer, I took it, and three years and three more EVs later, I still love it.
The EV Center is driving EV tech and talent – bringing together academic researchers, engineers from the auto industry, and the best and brightest students to push EV technology forward: batteries, charging infrastructure, workforce development, policy. It’s the kind of work that’s shaping what Michigan builds next. And if you know anything about Michigan, you know that what we build matters. We’re proud to support the Clean Cruise and everything MEVA is doing to grow this electric community.
Now – one more piece of the story. Right before I started at the EV Center, I had this idea: What if we carved out a section of the Woodward Dream Cruise to showcase electric vehicles? But I realized most classic car folks weren’t quite ready for that. So I let it go. Then I heard from an energetic woman named Amy Rogghe who was already planning exactly that – but as its own event, right before the Dream Cruise. I loved the name Clean Cruise and I volunteered immediately.
A year later I became her Executive Director and helped build a board of directors, a strategic framework, and a communication plan. I’ve since gone back to being a volunteer, and Amy and I remain close friends. This event is her vision, and I’m proud to be part of it. Give it up for Amy!
So – that’s my story. But what would I say to someone who’s thinking about going electric? Someone who’s maybe EV curious, maybe a bit skeptical, maybe standing right here thinking, “I don’t know, man…”
In the spirit of David Letterman, I’ve got a top 10 list for you. Here in my hand are the top 10 reasons to go electric. Are you ready?
- Number 10: EVs may be getting a rough news cycle in the U.S., but globally? Fifty countries just set EV sales records last quarter. Thirty-five percent growth worldwide. The world isn’t considering this. The world is doing this.
- Number 9: The designs are unlike anything else on the road. These aren’t just gas cars with the engine pulled out. They’re rethought from the ground up – and they look like it, day or night. You will turn heads.
- Number 8: The tech is unbelievable. Over-the-air updates. Your car gets better – after you buy it. New features, new performance, sometimes on a random Tuesday morning. When’s the last time your gas car surprised you with an upgrade?
- Number 7: It is so much cheaper to fuel. Charging at home costs a little over a dollar a gallon equivalent. I’ve had people tell me their monthly fuel cost went from two hundred dollars to about forty. That’s serious money.
- Number 6: Maintenance? What maintenance? No oil changes. Brakes last way longer because of regenerative braking. No transmission to worry about. My biggest maintenance concern – and I’m being completely serious – is running out of windshield washer fluid.
- Number 5: They’re better for everyone’s health. No tailpipe means no exhaust – no carbon monoxide, nothing. Think about your kids waiting at the bus stop, breathing in traffic fumes every morning. Now imagine if those cars were electric. Cleaner air isn’t some far-off goal – it starts in your
driveway. - Number 4: They’re whisper quiet. You know that neighbor who fires up his Hellcat at 6 a.m.? Imagine if he had an EV. You’d never even know he left.
- Number 3: Every single morning, your car is fully charged and ready to go. No detours, no waiting at the pump, no gas station coffee. You walk out the door, get in, and drive. It’s like having a full tank every day of your life. And range anxiety? That’s really only for people who don’t own one yet.
- Number 2: They are fast. I’m talking pin-you-to-your-seat, rearrange-your-face fast. And it’s instant. There’s no revving, no turbo spool, no waiting – you press the pedal and the car says yes. I’ve seen grown adults scream like a little kid. I’ve been one of them.
- And the number one reason to consider going electric?
They are just plain fun to drive. The handling. The low center of gravity. The way the car does exactly what your brain tells it to do, the instant you think it. I’ve driven a lot of cars in my life – including supercars on racetracks – and nothing has ever put a bigger grin on my face than driving
electric.
According to JD Power, 96% of EV owners say they’d buy electric again. Once you go electric, you don’t look back.
Look – I’m not going to convince everyone today, and that’s okay. But if you’re curious? If you’re even a little bit on the fence? Come talk to one of us. Walk around. Check out these vehicles. Better yet – take a ride in one.
That’s all it took for me. One ride in 2014, and that kid from Detroit who grew up on muscle cars never looked back.
Enjoy the Clean Cruise, everybody. Thank you.
