New electric vehicle initiative zooms into Alabama

Get charged up, Bham! On Monday, November 29, Gov. Kay Ivey teamed up with the Alabama Department of Environment and Community Affairs (ADECA) to announce “Drive Electric Alabama”, an initiative to spread the word about the benefits of electric vehicles. This is big news for sustainability efforts for the state. Keep reading for all the details.

Electric Gets You There ⚡

When you think of electric cars, you may be a bit skeptical about how long the charge lasts, or if they’re worth the money spent on a new car. Drive Electric Alabama aims to answer those questions and educate the public on the numerous benefits of driving electric.

Alabama is home to several automobile manufacturers including Mercedes-Benz, Honda, Hyundai and Mazda/Toyota. State officials are working with them to create a powerful infrastructure that supports the rising demand for electric vehicles, providing jobs and environmentally-friendly transportation to the state.

“Electric Gets You There” is the new campaign showing Alabamians that electric cars aren’t just a passing phase. With $4 million invested through grants in installing charging stations across the state, you’re covered wherever your all-electric road trips take you. In addition, the Alabama Mobility Power Initiative was founded with The University of Alabama, Alabama Power and Mercedes-Benz for top-notch research and innovation.

A key ingredient in producing the batteries for electric vehicles is graphite, and luckily, Alabama recently recieved an $124M investment from Westwater Resources. This makes us the leader in the nation for graphite production. Right next to being #1 in football.

“Now our country can turn to Alabama for being the go-to place for this critical resource in battery manufacturing. Make no mistake, Alabama is the state of forward thinking and innovation. Alabama is the state our country can rely on as we power into the future. Indeed, we are open for business and the best is yet to come.”

-Gov. Kay Ivey

No oil changes? No paying for gas? No problem!

Not only is driving electric vehicles good for the environment, but it makes your wallet happy as well. With electric vehicles you never need to go in for that inconvenient oil change. Plus, we all know that those gas prices are through the roof right now. According to Micheal Staley, President of the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition, you only need to pay around $20-30 a month to charge your electric vehicle from home. You’re not gonna find those prices at the pump any time soon.

Electric vehicles also come equipped with “frunks” (a term used by Alabama State House Minority Leader, Anthony Daniels). These trunks, located in the front of the vehicle, provide ample space for storing those bags for your next big road trip. And you never have to worry about charging your car on the go. About 80% of EV charging takes place at home. The rest can be done at over 170 charging stations located across the state.

“It’s clear electric vehicles represent the next generation of automobile manufacturing. That’s precisely why this is the perfect time for Alabamians to learn about electric vehicles, as many auto manufacturers, including Mercedes-Benz right here in our state, are beginning to add electric vehicles to their fleets.”

-Kenneth Boswell, ADECA, Director

Let’s get electric, Alabama! For education resources, alerts for future events and more visit DriveElectricAlabama.com

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