The Southeast is on a roll! This month, SACE in conjunction with Atlas Public Policy published the second annual "Transportation Electrification in the Southeast" report underscoring the tremendous economic development potential and why the Southeast is poised to lead on transportation electrification. Despite the rollercoaster year the region has seen a 33% increase in EV manufacturing employment and a 66% increase in EV manufacturing investment. Read on to get the whole scoop.
We're gearing up for National Drive Electric Week starting tomorrow on September 25th and running through October 3rd. Make a plan to attend one of the dozens of events in the region and bring a friend who wants to learn more about electric vehicle options. Also this month we applaud the city of Orlando for passing their EV-ready Ordinance. More EV charging infrastructure will make it easier to drive EV while living, working and visiting!
As we continue to track the progress of electric transportation growth in the Southeast and beyond, we remain grateful for our readers who stay connected to us and others on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. To receive these newsletters in your inbox, click here to sign up!
Charging Forward,
Dory Larsen
Powering the EV Movement
The Southeast is Gaining Ground in the Push to Electrify Transportation
A new report by the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE) and Atlas Public Policy, "Transportation Electrification in the Southeast," shows impressive gains across many market indicators. The report is the second annual look at market trends, state policies, and electric utility actions across Alabama, Georgia, Florida, North and South Carolina, and Tennessee. Read more.
A broad coalition of organizations from the business, education, government, and non-profit sectors, including the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy has launched the Southeast Electric Transportation Regional Initiative (SETRI). SETRI has been designed to address one of the region’s most pressing needs toward realizing the benefits of electric transportation, namely greater coordination and collaboration among key stakeholders. SETRI aims to address regional market challenges, while unlocking untapped opportunities for economic development, jobs growth, enhanced energy security, and reduced environmental impacts opportunities. Read more.
Not surprisingly, as more automakers are introducing electric models, more Americans are considering purchasing an EV than ever before. Many are curious to learn more about EVs from a trusted source – which was the inspiration for National Drive Electric Week. NDEW is an international week of events where people can see a wide variety of electric models in one place, talk to EV owners, and have their questions answered. As part of our advocacy promoting electric transportation as a solution to the climate crisis through our Electrify the South program, SACE is once again participating in National Drive Electric Week! Read more.
Orlando City Council Passes EV Make-Ready Code
Orlando is the latest municipality in the Southeast to adopt an electric vehicle (EV) make-ready ordinance. EV make-ready policies lower the cost to install future EVSE and increase likelihood of access to home charging. This policy will help the city reach its ambitious sustainability goals established under the leadership of Mayor Buddy Dyer, including, reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 90 percent by 2040, and achieving 100 percent clean electricity by 2050. Read more.
Get Plugged-In
Webinar
The report, "Transportation Electrification in the Southeast" prepared by Atlas Public Policy and SACE, found that the Southeast (including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee), saw significant growth in transportation electrification over the past 12 months. The Southeast for instance makes up 18 percent of national population, but 37 percent of all manufacturing investment and saw large increases in EV sales, approved utility investment and charging infrastructure. That said, the Southeast continues to lag other regions.
Joining the webinar with Nick Nigro, founder of Atlas Public Policy, is Susan Fleetwood, Chief Economic Development Liaison at the North Carolina Department of Commerce, and Stan Cross, the Electric Transportation Policy Director at the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE). Susan has experience in supporting industry and will offer up insights about the ways that Government in North Carolina has supported the EV industry and what else government, and the private sector is able to do. Stan will offer his insights both as a partner in the development of the Report as well as from his experience in tracking transportation electrification in the Southeast.
Thursday, September 30, 2:30 PM - 3 PM ET
National Drive Electric Week
Event
Join us for a ride and drive in a Tesla Model 3 in Orlando on Saturday, September 25, from 11 AM- 3 PM! This event is located at the Ace Cafe, 100 W Livingston St., Orlando, Florida 32801-1548.
Masks are required inside vehicles and social distancing measures will be in place. Drivers must be 25 years of age and have a valid driver's license. On the day of the event, riders will also need to sign in at the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy/Driving On Sunshine tent to ride or drive in an electric vehicle.
National Drive Electric Week Saturday, September 25, 11 AM - 3 PM Ace Cafe, 100 W Livingston St., Orlando, Florida 32801-1548.
National Drive Electric Week
Event
The Knoxville Electric Vehicle Association (KEVA), Pellissippi State Community College (PSCC), and Drive Electric Tennessee (DET) are working to make the 2021 Knoxville Drive Electric Week Event the largest ever in the State. All activities - vehicles on display, ride and drives from our Driving on Sunshine Roadshow crew, vendors, etc., will be held on the PSCC Hardin Valley (Main) Campus.
The Festival will feature all vehicles that can be plugged in, and that a person can ride in or on. Cars, motorcycles, eBikes, three wheeler FUVs (Fun Utility Vehicles), electric scooters, etc. Adventure Sports Innovation is bringing a Swincar, an electric off-road adventure vehicle. Join us to talk directly with electric vehicle (EV) owners about their real world experiences with electric vehicles.
Masks are required inside vehicles and social distancing measures will be in place. Drivers must be 25 years of age and have a valid driver's license. On the day of the event, riders will also need to sign in at the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy/Driving On Sunshine tent to ride or drive in an electric vehicle.
National Drive Electric Week Saturday, September 25, 10 AM - 3 PM Pellissippi State Community College-Hardin Valley Campus (Main Campus), 10915 Hardin Valley Rd., Knoxville, TN 37933-0990.
Action
The specialty license plate campaign in North Carolina continues to move forward and only 56 license plate applications are needed to get across the finish line! Recently, Rep. Julie von Haefen's bill to approve the plate passed the House Transportation Committee. Now it's on to the Senate. North Carolinians interested in getting the specialty license plate design can still apply, and applicants' initial $10 fee may be covered by Plug-in NC. If the design is approved, the plate can increase awareness of and support for electric vehicles no matter what kind of vehicle they are on. Sign up today for a chance to be entered in a $500 raffle!
Paving the Way
The City of Knoxville officially has a fleet of all-electric buses that are expected to hit the streets starting January 2022! City leaders and a few of us at the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy and Electrify The South took the first ride in one last Thursday – thanks Malcom for the ride! When all 18 electric buses arrive, they'll represent 26% of the total bus fleet, along with another 41% being hybrid-electrics.
When we drive our EVs in our home regions and draw upon locally-generated electricity, we’re saving a whole bunch of money. In “Retained Transportation Fuel Spending in the Southeast: Electric vs. Internal Combustion Vehicles” we at SACE analyzed how much consumers spend on gas and diesel, how much of that transportation fuel spending remains in a given Southeast state, and how much leaves. The analysis then looked at what happens if all on-road gas and diesel-powered cars, trucks, and buses are replaced with vehicles that drive entirely on electricity.
Ford is partnering with battery recycling company Redwood Materials to lay the groundwork for a domestic supply chain for electric vehicle batteries that relies on closed-loop recycling. The long-term vision would ensure that critical battery materials like lithium, nickel, copper and cobalt are re-used in new batteries, reducing the need for imports and avoiding further environmental damage through mining.
Readers Kicking Gas
Every month we'll spotlight stories and photos from YOU, our readers, about how EVs play a role in your world. To be featured in an upcoming ETS newsletter, send us an email here!
Bonnie M., Knoxville, Tennessee
We met Bonnie over the summer at the Tesla dealership grand opening in Knoxville! "I like driving an electric vehicle because it’s maintenance free. You don’t need to replace break pads because it stops itself with regenerative breaking. I can charge it for free at many of the local parks here. I just got back from a long road trip and had no trouble. In fact, I’ve had three years of worry free driving and my battery is just as good as when I initially got the car! I would go across the country in this car and would recommend an electric car to anyone!"