A summit was held in Birmingham on electric vehicle technology in Birmingham. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey headlined the EV summit, and other elected officials attended the event. Representatives from the major automotive manufacturers and suppliers and Alabama were also there.
“Over the course of the last thirty years or so, Alabama has gone from not being on the map in the automotive sector to being an industry giant,” Gov. Ivey stated. “Today, we are one of America’s top five producers and exporters of cars and light trucks. Like our college football, we’re proud of the standard of excellence we set with our automotive industry, but it’s no secret that this is an industry changing by the day. In the last several years, we’ve seen an entirely new market emerge for many automotive manufacturers, and it’s clear that EVs are on the rise and will continue to gain popularity among drivers.”
The inaugural Drive Electric Alabama EV Summit was held at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex (BJCC) and featured discussions about electric vehicle initiatives in Alabama and provided information about charging infrastructure and other EV-related topics.
“We are here to promote our automobile industry, and if EVs are the direction the industry is going in, then we want to do everything we can do to help make sure the jobs and the economic investment of this emerging industry come to Alabama, instead of to our neighboring states,” said Alabama Department of Economic Affairs (ADECA) Director Kenneth Boswell.
ADECA is the lead agency in the Drive Electric Alabama initiative. This is a statewide coalition promoting the adoption of electric vehicles.
Ron Davis is the President of the Alabama Automotive Manufacturers Association.
“Virtually every major automaker around the globe has announced plans to electrify its fleet,” Davis said. “Automobile manufacturers clearly see EVs as the future of the industry – that’s why they’re pouring billions of dollars into research and development. As the number four auto exporting state, Alabama’s automobile manufacturing sector has a large impact on Alabama’s economy and employs tens of thousands of Alabamians with good-paying jobs. It is important that Alabama stays competitive so that the next generation of automobiles are built here instead of in neighboring states.”
“Our foundation is strong, but we must continue to lay the groundwork for tomorrow, and that starts right here, right now,” Gov. Ivey said.
Summit activities included panel discussions, vendor booths, and seminars focused on state and federal grants available in Alabama to install EV charging infrastructure.
Generations of Alabamians have driven internal combustion engine automobiles since the Ford Model T, the Chevrolet C series, and the Overland Model 38. Industry experts expect that to change.
“Electric vehicles also make financial sense for consumers, especially now with gas prices skyrocketing at the pump. Owning an EV also means major savings on maintenance costs, with the average EV driver saving anywhere from $6,000-$10,000 over the life of the vehicle,” Davis said. “As EV technology advances, the performance margin between electric cars and gas-powered vehicles becomes greater, as do other metrics such as selection of EVs, driving range, and availability of charging stations.”
EV initiatives in the state of Alabama, charging technology, and EV charging’s effect on the power grid were subjects that came up during the discussions.
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