National Drive Electric Week

Drive Electric Event
Drive Electric Alabama
Birmingham, AL
May 14, 2022

Day: Saturday, May 14, 2022 NOTE: this event has already happened, find current-year events on the Attend page.
Time: 8:00 am - 12:00 pm CDT
Location: The Market at Pepper Place
2930 3rd Ave South
Birmingham, AL 35233
Contact the event organizers, which took place in 2022.

Event Report

Electric vehicle owners gathered at The Market at Pepper Place in Birmingham for Saturday’s Drive Electric Alabama Earth Day Electric Vehicle Showcase.

 

The event showcased the wide variety of EVs available to Alabama motorists, while EV owners also greeted hundreds of visitors and answered questions about EV ownership.

 

Some owners touted the cost savings associated with owning and driving an EV, such as no longer having to pay for gas, oil changes or other routine maintenance.

 

Others raved about the excitement associated with driving an EV, thanks to the vehicles’ instant acceleration when compared to conventional gas-powered cars and trucks.

 

“Anyone who has felt the pain at the pump with the recent surge in gas prices has probably thought about an EV,” said Michael Staley, president of the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition, one of the organizations coordinating Saturday’s event. “But a majority of Alabamians have never even sat inside an EV. That’s why events like today’s EV Showcase are so important, because we have real EV owners talking about how they use these vehicles every day.”

 

A variety of EVs were on display Saturday, including models from Tesla, Rivian, BMW, Nissan, Ford, Volkswagen, Kia and more. An electric transit bus from the Birmingham Jefferson County Transit Authority was also on display.

 

The bus and full-sized Rivian truck truly showcased the wide variety of electric vehicles available.

 

Saturday’s event is one of many Drive Electric Earth Day events happening across the nation. The Pepper Place event was hosted by Drive Electric Alabama and the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition. Other sponsors include UAB Sustainability, Alabama Power Company, the City of Birmingham, The Market at Pepper Place and the Zero Emissions Owners Group.

 

EV sales soared 72 percent during the fourth quarter of 2021, and another recent study by J.D. Power found 27 percent of likely auto shoppers indicate they would consider purchasing an EV in the next four years.

 

In addition, Hyundai recently announced it will begin building its electric Genesis GV70 and the hybrid version of the Santa Fe at its Montgomery factory. Mercedes’ all-electric SUVs are also expected to roll off the assembly line at the company’s Tuscaloosa facility later this year, too.

 

As Alabamians see more EVs on the road and the state’s auto manufacturers produce EVs, consumers are looking for more information about them. EV owners are the most trusted source for that information.

 

“It’s always wonderful to see people look inside an EV for the first time and understand how it can fit the needs of their family,” Staley said.


photo by: Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition
Drive Electric Booth focal Point for 21 EVs on Display

Event Description

 

April 16th EVent rescheduled due to bad Weather to May 14th. Please Join us then at Pepper Place.

Join us for Drive Electric Earth Day in Birmingham on May 14th at The Market at Pepper Place. Electric vehicle owners will be there with their EVs from 8 a.m. until noon to answer your questions while promoting electric vehicle awareness, technology, affordability and other merits attached to EVs as part of the Drive Electric Alabama-Birmingham area chapter initiative.

                                                                                                                                                                           

A great selection of electric vehicles will be on display, providing everyone with an up-close look at the fun vehicles that are cheaper to maintain than conventional gas-powered cars, better for the environment and help create Alabama and American jobs.

 

“Anyone thinking about buying a new vehicle has to consider electric,” said Mark Bentley, Executive Director of the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition, one of the event’s sponsors. “Many people still have questions about EVs, and the people who own and drive have the answers. This is an easy way to learn more about these electric vehicles that give off zero emissions, are economical to drive and contribute to the creation of high-paying jobs right here in our state.”

 

Registered Attendees

There are currently 49 attendees registered.

Owners of These Vehicles Have Registered To Attend

Vehicle Registered
Tesla Model Y 3
Volkswagen ID.4 3
Ford Mustang Mach-E 2
Nissan Leaf (2018+) 2
Tesla Model S 2
Audi e-tron 1
Chevrolet Volt 1
Hyundai Ioniq 5 1
Kia Niro Electric 1
Nissan Leaf (2011-2017) 1
Rivian R1T 1
Tesla Model 3 1
Toyota Prius Prime 1
Toyota RAV4 Prime 4WD/AWD 1
Zero Motorcycle 1
15 Models 22

Registered attendees report 382,834 electric miles driven.

Presented By

Plugin America logo
Electric Vehicle Association logo
Sierra Club logo
EVHybridNoire logo
Drive Electric USA logo

Platinum Level Sponsors

Gold Level Sponsor

Silver Level Sponsor

Bronze Level Sponsor

Green Level Sponsor

All NDEW 2024 sponsors support Plug In America's coordination of National Drive Electric Week.

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