The East Tennessee Clean Fuels Coalition held an electric car awareness event Thursday October 22 in Market Square, Downtown Knoxville.

The event included examples of electric cars and other vehicles, games, and more. Among the organizations there with electric cars were The Electric Power Research Institute, Tennessee Valley Authority, Knoxville Utility Board, Shockwave Motors, Zenn and the University of Tennessee Knoxville.

Amy Lee from East Tennessee Clean Fuels Coalition said, "We are here to raise awareness about electric vehicles so that when the Nissan LEAF comes out in 2010 people will have more knowledge of what it's about. Right now the LEAF is being produced in Japan and will begin production in Tennessee in 2010."

Shockwave Motors, headquartered in Morristown, Tennessee, brought their tubular electric car The Predator for viewing.

The Predator has a fiberglass body, full size trunk, room for three and can top speeds of 75 mph.

"This will give the Corvette some competition," said Charlotte Day a spectator at the event.

Knoxville, Nashville, and Chattanooga will be three of the cities in Tennessee receiving part of the $100 million grant to construct infrastructure in preparation for the Nissan LEAF.

Other states receiving the grant include California, Washington, Arizona and Oregon.

Lee also said, "We will hold another event similar to this when we have an example of the LEAF here in the US."