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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.
The Montgomery Area Drive Electric Alabama EV chapter also hosted an Earth Day EVent on Saturday at the Central Alabama Electric Cooperative in Prattville.
Both events were designed to help educate people dispel the myths surrounding EVs and allow for candid conversations with EV owners.
EV owners often tout the cost savings associated with owning an EV compared to gas-powered vehicles. EV owners also save on regular maintenance such as skipping periodic oil changes.
As more EVs are spotted on Alabama highways, consumers are often looking for information about EV charging, range and performance. That’s what makes showcase events like the ones in Enterprise and Prattville so powerful.
Three more Earth Day EVents – in Birmingham, Fort Payne and Mobile – are scheduled for Saturday, April 22.
All five EVents in Alabama are part of the national Drive Electric Earth Day program, which is designed to share information about electric vehicles.
“Approximately 10,000 EVs are registered to Alabama residents and many more are on the road traveling through our state every day. Many Alabamians have not yet had a chance to ride in an EV and don’t know much about them and their many benefits,” said Michael Staley, president of the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition, which helped coordinate the EVents. “EV owners are the best source for separating fact from fiction to help potential EV owners understand the benefits of going electric.”
