Nick Offerman, the beloved actor best known for playing Ron Swanson on Parks and Recreation, is stepping into a very different role: the face of America’s largest nonprofit-led electric vehicle (EV) education push. This week, Nick Offerman partnered with Veloz, a nonprofit EV advocacy group, to launch a massive $43.5 million campaign titled “Electric for All.”
This fresh initiative comes at a critical moment for the EV industry. With federal tax credits for EVs set to expire this fall under new budget legislation and changes to other Biden-era EV incentives underway, advocates like Nick Offerman are hoping to keep American drivers plugged into the electric revolution.
According to Veloz, “Electric for All” is the first and largest nonprofit-led EV awareness program in the United States. The campaign, funded by Electrify America — a company born out of Volkswagen’s 2017 emissions scandal settlement — aims to expand EV adoption far beyond California, its initial stronghold.
Speaking about the campaign, Veloz Executive Director Josh D. Boone told Axios that while there’s no direct link between the effort and the latest legislation, the timing couldn’t be better. He pointed out that interest in EVs is rising across the country. “More Americans are interested in EVs than ever,” Boone said, adding that the group wants people to act quickly to benefit from federal incentives while they still exist.
Nick Offerman lends not only his recognizable face but also his signature dry humor to the ads. In one spot, the voice of Nick Offerman narrates as a gas-powered engine is dismantled piece by piece. “When you take away the spark plugs, the oil filter, belts, the alternator, and, oh yeah, the gas tank, you tend to take away other stuff, like headaches,” says Offerman in the ad.
The actor’s message is clear: EVs mean fewer parts, fewer repairs, and lower operating costs than traditional gas-powered cars. Nick Offerman also highlights that going electric saves money on fuel and maintenance, a message Veloz hopes will resonate with Americans across all income levels.
The campaign is a full-court press. It will run on TV, radio, podcasts, search ads, and social media — reaching potential car buyers nationwide. It targets people looking to purchase a new vehicle within the next six months to two years. A new multilingual “Electric for All” website will help visitors explore incentives and browse EV models to find the best fit for their lifestyle.
Beyond ads, Nick Offerman and Veloz plan to take the campaign on the road — literally. In-person events will invite people to sit in EVs, test drive them, and experience firsthand what makes them different. Boone says these ride-and-drive moments are key to turning curiosity into actual sales.
Despite recent slowdowns in EV sales growth — with the Alliance for Automotive Innovation reporting a slight dip in Q1 2025 sales — industry experts believe that education and outreach are crucial to keeping the momentum alive. By tapping into the mainstream appeal of Nick Offerman, Veloz hopes to break through skepticism and misinformation, reassuring Americans that going electric is a smart choice that saves money in the long run.
For Nick Offerman, who has long played characters who champion rugged individualism and old-school traditions, his latest role as an EV advocate might surprise some fans. But it’s clear the actor wants to use his influence for a greener future — and a little humor never hurts.
Whether Americans will plug in remains to be seen, but with Nick Offerman leading the charge, the future of EVs might just be a little brighter — and a lot funnier.
