Electric vehicles spotlighted in Hoover
The Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition on Saturday in Hoover joined with several automobile dealerships, Alabama Power Co. and electric vehicle owners to display some of the latest electric vehicles available for consumers.
The display took place on a lot along U.S. 31 next to the Krispy Kreme doughnut shop between 9 a.m. and noon.
Vehicles in the display included the Porsche Cayenne sport-utility vehicle, BMW i3, Nissan Leaf, Cadillac ELR, Chevrolet Volt and Tesla Model S.
“We were very pleased with the great interest and questions we were able to answer and the new friends we were able to make,” said Mark Bentley, executive director for the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition, in a press release. “We were especially happy to showcase these EVs that are becoming more popular and more affordable in our state.”
Dealerships participating in the event included Tom Williams BMW, Tom Williams Porsche, Benton Nissan, Hendrick Chevrolet, Sunny King and Woody Anderson Ford.
Representatives from the University of Alabama’s EcoCAR3 program outlined their activities as one of 16 colleges in the nation currently refitting a Chevrolet Camaro with fuel-efficient technologies. Alabama engineering students have created a Camaro that is a plug-in hybrid.
Also on Saturday, people interested in forming a Birmingham electric vehicle club signed up to receiver further information. The Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition is in the early stages of organizing a plug-in electric vehicle owners clubs to give the owners and others interested in electric vehicles a chance to network and share experiences.
According to Bentley, today’s plug-in electric vehicles are ready to compete with and complement the internal combustion engine-based technology that currently dominates the U.S. market.
“On a national average, it costs less than half as much to travel a given distance using electricity compared to gasoline or diesel,” Bentley said in the news release. “Plus, electric vehicles help keep our town and world clean as they produce very little harmful emissions. Also, plug-in electric vehicles help make the United States more energy independent, as all electricity is made in the USA.”
Total plug-in electric vehicle sales in the United States stood at 118,773 in 2014 and 90,941 through the first 10 months of 2015, according to the Electric Drive Transportation Association.
To help spur the growth in electric vehicles, Alabama Power Co. is offering rebates to customers purchasing or leasing plug-in electric vehicles and a discount on their electricity during overnight hours, said Cedric Daniels, Alabama Power’s electric transportation manager.
Alabama Power also is offering a partial rebate on electric vehicle station installation for commercial customers that install electric vehicle charging stations, Daniels said.
For more information about the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition, go to AlabamaCleanFuels.org or all 205-402-2755.