National Drive Electric Week
Birmingham, AL
Sep 14, 2019

Event Report

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Economics, the environment and the sheer pleasure of driving top the list of reasons shared with visitors to a National Drive Electric Week Showcase at Pepper Place today as to why electric vehicle owners in the Birmingham area made the switch.

Owners of electric vehicles – EVs – took time out of their weekend to share their experiences with the fast-growing trend of driving without relying on fossil fuels.

“I like the technology of it, the idea of less maintenance, and not having to stop at the gas station,” said Tom Canada, who drives a BMW i3, “plus, how good it is for the environment appealed to me. First, I went the plug-in hybrid route and learned that I didn’t drive near as much as I thought I did. I get about 100 miles or so of range on this car and I love it.”

Canada lives in downtown Birmingham and calls himself a “bit of a gearhead.” He works in research and has a handle on the technology involved in vehicle electrification.

“Every year since the initial rollout (of EVs), back in 2010, more models are entering the market,” he said. “It used to only be the ‘early adopters’ who would drive the electric vehicle. There was a lot of concern about range and battery life and costs. The cost of batteries has dropped so much that we’re now seeing vehicles being assessed from a price point and performance angle. When you go to a dealer to look at new vehicles, soon you’re going to have a choice of electric SUVs and trucks, too.”

Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition Executive Director Mark Bentley pointed out that as of June of this year, more than 1.2 million plug-in electric vehicles have been purchased in the United States. That’s not including medium- and heavy-duty EVs.

“Alabama manufacturers, such as Mercedes Benz, Honda and Hyundai, are working hard to build electric vehicles and provide the good-paying jobs that are necessary to produce them,” Bentley said. “EVs are a winning proposition for the economy as well as the environment.”

Canada said two factors about driving an EV stand out to him. “Because the weight of the vehicle is low, it’s kind of sporty to drive,” he said. “Because you don’t have any gears, you have all that torque from the motor available instantaneously. If I want to pass, I don’t hit the pedal, downshift and then go. It catches people off guard and that driving experience is pretty fun.

“There has been concern about charging infrastructure, but it seems that the majority of charging that people do is at their house. I equate it to my cellphone. I plug it in at night when I’m asleep and every morning it’s ready. With my car, every time I leave the house it’s like having a full tank of gas.”

Saturday’s event was sponsored by the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition, UAB Sustainability, Alabama Power Co., the City of Birmingham and ZEOG (Zero Emissions Owners Group).

photo by: Mark Bentley, Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition Great photo op for many in the crowd to help remember their favorite EV!

Event Description

Registered Attendees

There are currently 86 attendees registered.

Owners of These Vehicles Have Registered To Attend

Registered attendees report 867,945 electric miles driven.