Kingman Electric Car Museum finds a home | Local News Stories

Ron Foggin, city manager, said a deal has been worked out with the state for the purchase of the building that will house the Electric Car Museum at 519 Beale St.

Foggin said after walking through the building, it’s exciting to be able to visualize the cars that will be displayed and learn more about them. It’ll also be an option for future gathering events, Foggin said.

Foggin said they are already working on how to make the most of the space and how to give visitors an enjoyable and informative experience at the museum that the community will be proud of. Foggin describes it as the “bookend” of Beale Street since the building is located near other Kingman tourism spots, such as the Powerhouse Visitor Center.

“We are really pleased with the work we’ve been able to do,” Foggin said.

The building cost $875,000, and will be purchased with some of the federal virus-relief CARES Act money the city received. Foggin said that reviving the local tourist economy is one of the priorities in the fiscal year 2021-22 budget. He added the museum will also charge admission, which will generate money for the city.

“It actually really goes hand and glove with what we’re trying to do with tourism,” Foggin said.

Foggin said the building, museum and location is a “win, win” for the city. With over 100 cars to display, they will be rotated from time to time with the addition of an educational experience for those who visit.

Roderick Wilde, director of the Historic Electric Vehicle Foundation, said the new building is a success for the museum and community due to the variety of events and projects it can host. While not all vehicles will be displayed, a major portion of the collection will be and will help educate people on the history of electric cars.

“The new museum will also have space for interactive exhibits and education in children-orientated activities. The educational value is enormous,” Wilde wrote in an email.

Prior to covid-19, the previous museum saw over 50,000 visitors from all over the world each year. Wilde said they hope the museum exceeds that number with the new building and since it is the only museum of its kind in the world.

When cars are not on display, they are stored in a variety of places such as Washington State, a location on North First Street in Kingman and at one point at the airport, Wilde said. The majority of cars have been donated to the museum and some have been loaned.

Wilde said the foundation does not have the money to purchase individual vehicles, but in the past board members have purchased vehicles and loaned them to the museum. The museum will hopefully receive a donation of a first-generation Tesla Roadster, which is one of the more exciting donations the museum could receive, Wilde said.

Foggin also said that they have been working with Tesla to install charging stations at the Powerhouse Visitor Center.

This is a very exciting thing for the city,” Miles said