dcwins.com
Irondale resident Jacob Isdell showed off his Hyundai Ioniq 5 during Saturday’s electric vehicle (EV) showcase at The Market at Pepper Place.
Isdell bought his EV in June and said he’s been pleasantly surprised about how much money he’s saving by plugging in at home or his office rather than visiting a local gas station.
“I know a lot of people don’t think about affordability when they think about an EV, but it’s just cheaper,” he said. “It’s cheaper than gas.”
EV owners displayed a variety of EVs, including SUVs and full-sized pick-up trucks, at Saturday’s EVent, as members of the Birmingham Chapter of Drive Electric Alabama talked one-on-one with anyone interested in learning more about EV costs, technology, range and charging infrastructure. Many bragged about their costs savings on fuel and maintenance when comparing an EV to a gas-powered vehicle.
Isdell previously attended several similar EV showcases at Pepper Place over the last few years, and those conversations informed his decision to purchase an all-electric vehicle. Now that he’s owned his Hyundai EV since June, he’s also learned another benefit of driving electric.
“It’s just the power when you need it,” he said. “The electric motors have the same torque whether you’re going 20 miles-per-hour or 70 miles-per-hour. When I’m on the interstate and I need to pass someone who’s maybe going a little slow, I don’t have to worry. It just goes.”
Isdell and more than two dozen other EV owners showcased their cars Saturday, with models from Audi, BMW, Chevrolet, Ford, GMC, Hummer, Hyundai, Kia, Lexus, Lucid, Rivian, Tesla and Volkswagen in the parking lot next to Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams.
Similar EV showcases were held in Cullman, Mobile and Huntsville during the last month, all of which were sponsored by Drive Electric Alabama and designed to celebrate National Drive Electric Month.
“The cool thing about an EV showcase like this is that it brings together EV owners and people who genuinely want to learn more about these vehicles,” said Michael Staley, president of the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition. “There are so many myths about EVs, and I have seen so many myths busted in these conversations. It’s wonderful to help people get accurate, honest information about the benefits of driving electric.”
Staley showcased his all-electric, full-sized Chevy truck Saturday after parking it next to the ACFC booth at last week’s Southern Automotive Conference in Huntsville.
“I tell everyone this is the best Silverado I’ve driven and it’s because the performance, reliability and lower maintenance costs,” Staley said.
EVs remain important to Alabama’s economy, as the state ranks as the No. 1 automotive exporter in the U.S., and more than $2.1 billion has been invested in EV-related projects in Alabama since 2020. Mercedes-Benz produces all-electric SUVs at its Tuscaloosa factory and invested $1 billion to construct a nearby battery plant in Bibb County. Electric and hybrid models also roll off the assembly line at the Hyundai plant in Montgomery.
The Alabama Department of Community and Economic Development has also developed its EV infrastructure plan, which helped Alabama climb to 13th in the national EV index this year. Alabama ranked 31st in 2024.
