Owning an electric vehicle (EV) has transformed my driving experience and also left a lasting impression on my family. My children have grown up in a Tesla, and our journey together has been nothing short of electrifying.

Since I first purchased a Tesla in 2013, I’ve definitely experienced my fair share of early-adopter issues, such as problems with the drive unit. Despite these hiccups, Tesla’s service team consistently provided outstanding support. They ensured that my vehicle was in perfect working order, instilling in me and my family a sense of loyalty and appreciation for exceptional customer service.

Owning an EV has been like having a cell phone. Just as we charge our phones overnight, our garage has become our personal gas station. We’ve learned to appreciate the convenience of waking up to a fully charged vehicle, ready to take on the day without the worry of refueling at a gas station.

A proposal led by The University of Alabama (UA) to strengthen the Deep South’s role in production and support of electric vehicles (EVs) was selected by the National Science Foundation (NSF) for further development.

The $1 million planning grant from the NSF Regional Innovation Engines program positions UA and its partners, the University of Georgia and Mississippi State University, to compete alongside 44 other teams for up to $160 million over 10 years in the first-ever NSF Engines Development Awards, which aim to help partners collaborate to create economic, societal and technological opportunities for their regions.

DOTHAN, Ala. (WDHN) — Over the last few years, the market for EVs has grown rapidly and it’s only expected to grow at a faster pace for years to come nationwide and statewide — there are 9,000 registered evs in Alabama alone.

With the growing trend, cities are challenged with getting the infrastructure in place to meet the needs of electric cars.

“In order to get EV charging stations whenever there are some grants from the federal or state level we will continue to pursue that,” Mayor Mark Saliba said.

Dothan has signed the application for a grant with the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs to add two more charging stations at James Oates Park located off Highway 231 South.

This will be the third public charging station in the city, but the first public station over on the south side of town – a highly traveled area.

“So, when we are having tournaments and we have citizens out there they can walk or be at the ball game while their car charge,” Mayor Saliba said.

• US electric-vehicle startup Fisker is bringing battery-swapping technology to its first model.
• The first Ocean SUVs with swappable batteries will hit streets in 2024, Fisker says.
• Battery swaps will take a few minutes and cost less than getting gas, according to the startup.

One of the biggest hurdles turning people off from buying electric cars is the time it takes to fill up.

Pull up to a fast-charging station with a low charge and it’ll be 20-60 minutes until you’re back on the road with a nearly full battery. Plug in at home on a lower-voltage connection and you’re looking at a charging time of multiple hours.

Electric-vehicle startup Fisker has an ingenious solution to ease that pain. Rather than depleting and recharging the same battery over and over, why not swap out a dead pack for a fresh one and be on your way in minutes?

Fisker is partnering up with Ample, a battery-swapping startup, to offer just that to buyers of its Ocean SUV starting in 2024. The company says battery swapping will offer the same fill-up times as gasoline at a lower cost per mile.

South Korean battery maker SK On has entered into an agreement with Westwater Resources for materials for its automotive batteries.

Westwater is at work on a graphite processing facility in Kellyton in Coosa County.

SK On says the move is “part of efforts to strengthen its battery raw material supply chain in North America following the enactment of the Inflation Reduction Act.”

The Korean firm has two EV battery plants in Georgia and is building more, including one to support Hyundai’s operations in Montgomery.

In announcing the deal, the battery maker said, “Under the agreement, the two companies will work together to develop environmentally responsible, high-performance anode materials tailored for SK On batteries. Should the project end with successful results, SK On will consider an option of sourcing Westwater’s anode materials for use at its battery manufacturing facilities in the U.S.”

HUNTSVILLE – Polaris will be shipping the first of its all-new electric Ranger XP Kinetic vehicles from its Huntsville manufacturing plant this week.

Polaris manufactures the fully electric vehicle at the more than 900,000 square-foot plant in Huntsville. The company said today it plans to take additional orders on the Ranger this summer.

The Ranger XP Kinetic features an all-electric powertrain and is engineered for off-road use through Polaris’ exclusive 10-year partnership with Zero Motorcycles, the company said.

“Since announcing our electrification efforts and partnership with Zero Motorcycles, it has been major milestone moments like today’s announcement that have motivated and driven our team to engineer and deliver category-redefining powersports vehicles,” said Steve Menneto, president of Off Road, Polaris. “The Ranger XP Kinetic demonstrates the game-changing performance advantages that an electric powertrain can provide, and we look forward to getting these vehicles into the hands of our dealers and consumers across the country.”

At each of Saturday’s three EV showcases, electric vehicle owners talked one-on-one with visitors.

Not long after purchasing a Tesla, Steve Johnson and his family took the electric vehicle on a long road trip.

“We thought we were crazy in Alabama to get an EV,” said Johnson, co-leader of the Wiregrass chapter of Drive Electric Alabama and owner of Wiregrass EV Charging. “The first thing we did was take a road trip to Missouri, and it basically cost us nothing. It turned out great.”

Johnson later bought a Rivian pick-up truck to replace his full-sized, gas-powered truck and said he’s put 23,000 miles on it less than year. He showed off the Rivian at Saturday’s Wiregrass Drive Electric Alabama Earth Day EVent at Johnny Henderson Park in Enterprise as part of the Weevil City Cruisers’ 26th Annual Car Show.

The EVent gave Johnson and other EV owners the opportunity to showcase their EVs and talk 1-on-1 with anyone interested in learning more about EVs.

A new campaign is charging up support from drivers across the state.

The Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition debuted an official Alabama license plate available for pre-commitments now.

With new manufacturers taking electric vehicles to market and it being easier than ever to make the switch, a lot of Alabamians are starting to ask good questions.

“Electric vehicle owners are already asked very often about their cars and most of them are very active in sharing the good experience they’ve had with their EVs,” said coalition President Michael Staley.