Virginia Transportation Corporation unveiled a new all-electric truck on Monday, which will transport newly built Honda cars from the Lincoln, Alabama plant to the nearby CSX railhead for shipment to locations across the globe.

Officials will collect data and analyze the performance of the all-electric semi-truck, which will help determine its long-term viability. A coalition that includes Peterbilt, Alabama Power, the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition and Virginia Transportation Corporation are involved in supporting this pilot project. 

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Whether it’s mining of essential elements for batteries, advanced manufacturing and the associated high-paying jobs or just freedom from the pump for owners, electric vehicles (EVs) are a vital part of Alabama’s future.

Those were among the assertions at the recent Drive Electric Alabama EV Summit at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex. Presented by the Alabama Automotive Manufacturers Association (AAMA), the summit offered a wide range of reasons why the state wants to see EV growth.

Economic development officials, automotive manufacturers, state agencies, Alabama Power and others weighed in on what they are doing in the EV space.

Alabama Power came together with state leaders Thursday to discuss the future of electric vehicles in Alabama.

“Some fifty organizations, many of whom are here today, have joined together to ensure that Alabama is globally competitive as the EV economic ecosystem matures,” said Governor Kay Ivey.

The event featured leaders from Alabama Power, Mercedes Benz and others. They discussed the future and the challenges that come with adopting electric vehicles.

Alabama is spending millions of dollars to expand its charging station infrastructure – a move that officials say not only supports the needs of electric vehicle owners but also the growing EV automotive industry in the state.

“We are invested in the automotive industry here in the state of Alabama, 45,000 workers all throughout the state,” said Kenneth Boswell, director of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA), the organization Gov. Kay Ivey has tasked with building out the state’s EV infrastructure. “We want to make sure that we do everything to solidify those jobs.”

Both Mercedes-Benz U.S. International and Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama have introduced electric vehicles to their Alabama assembly lines. Mercedes also produces EV batteries at a separate plant in Bibb County.

Boswell said the availability of EV charging stations is important to EV owners in Alabama and those traveling through the state.

“We also want to reduce that range anxiety for that person that chooses EV as an option,” he said.

Leading automotive, research and energy experts converged at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex this week to discuss electric vehicles and their roll out in the state.

“Electric vehicles are revolutionizing the automotive industry, innovating how we drive, reinventing the roads we navigate and expanding our expectations on how to get from point A to point B,” said Ron Davis, Alabama Automotive Manufacturers Association president. “EVs are also driving economic growth, sparking opportunities for new suppliers and manufacturers, specializing in batteries, charging stations and the latest electrification technologies.”

EVs also are creating new jobs within the automotive industry, said Davis, but “there are challenges and barriers to widespread EV adoption.”

The US added about 700 new public fast-charging stations for electric cars in the second quarter, bringing the nationwide total to nearly 9,000.

On April 16, piloting an electric vehicle through the north of North Dakota became far less fraught. That’s when a new fast-charging station switched on at a Simonson Station Store gas station in Minot, close to a Red Wing boot shop.

Zero-emission drivers around El Paso, Texas can also rest easier thanks to two new stations up the road in Deming, New Mexico. So can anyone heading down the Gulf Coast by Mobile, Alabama, where a new bank of chargers started pumping electrons May 2 in Robertsdale, down the street from Buster’s Southern Pit BBQ.