Sovereign Energy and Sacred Connections in The Northern Great Plains Region
Sovereign Energy and Sacred Connections: The Rise of the Electric Nation South Dakota EV Club Across The Northern Great Plains Region
September 26, 2026
What started with an investment in electric transportation on Tribal lands is growing into something much bigger. Through Native Sun Community Power Development’s Electric Nation program, in partnership with SAGE, we helped bring nearly $1.5 million in electric vehicles and charging infrastructure to Tribal communities in South Dakota, putting electric pickups, transit vans, passenger vehicles, side-by-sides, and chargers to work where they were meant to serve.
Now, we’re building on that momentum. Through Electric Mobility South Dakota, Native Sun is joining forces with SAGE, Red Cloud Renewable, Kul Wicasa Wopasi, and Dakota Cornerstone to apply what we’ve learned and reach even more communities across the state.
From Tribal fleets and community services to workforce development, utility engagement, and economic opportunity, we’re helping South Dakota communities explore what electric transportation can look like when it’s built around their needs, their priorities, and their future.
Electric transportation efforts in South Dakota began taking root through Native Sun Community Power Development’s Electric Nation program, which, in partnership with SAGE, invested roughly $1.5 million in electric vehicles and charging infrastructure on Tribal lands. Electric pickups, transit vans, passenger vehicles, side-by-sides, and chargers began serving Tribal governments, community services, and enterprises, creating real-world examples of what electric transportation could look like in rural and Tribal communities.
"In 2026, Electric Mobility South Dakota formed to build on that foundation. Bringing together Native Sun, SAGE, Red Cloud Renewable, Kul Wicasa Wopasi, and Dakota Cornerstone, the effort expanded from deploying vehicles and chargers to sharing what had been learned, helping more Tribal and local governments explore how electric transportation could serve their own communities."
Comments