What is an electric vehicle?
An electric vehicle (EV) is a vehicle that runs fully or partially on electricity.
Types of Electric Vehicles
- Battery Electric Vehicle: A vehicle powered solely through a battery and electric powertrain that is capable of highway speeds (i.e., not golf carts or personal recreational vehicles)
- Hybrid Electric Vehicle: A low-emission vehicle that uses an electric motor to assist gas-powered engines. All energy comes from gasoline.
- Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle: A vehicle that combines a conventional gasoline powered engine with a battery that can be recharged, allowing it to operate as an electric vehicle.
Vehicle Charging
Charging stations, or docks, supply electricity to an electric vehicle.
Types of Chargers
EV Charging Stations Comparison
Miles of Range Added Per Hour Charging
Charging Station Details:
How to Find a Charger
The best way to plan your route and find a charger is to download an app on your phone. There’s many to choose from, but some of the most popular ones are
None of these are affiliated with or endorsed by Energy Alabama.
Alabama’s Plan for EVs
Driving an EV in Alabama is getting easier. With $79 million of federal funding, Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) is partnered with the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition (ACFC) to implement the Alabama Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Plan.
Drive Electric Alabama is bringing together groups across the state to target
- FHWA alternative fuel corridor designation
- Corridors to support interstate commerce
- Corridors to facilitate and grow the EV industry in Alabama
- Commuter patterns and workplace charging
- Multi-family dwelling charging infrastructure
- Traffic density and frequency on corridors
Environmental Impact of EVs
Out of all 50 states, “poor adoption of green transportation and high vehicle emissions” make Alabama third from last in a recent study of sustainable transportation across the country.
Emissions and Air Pollution
EVs generally start off with a higher carbon footprint because battery production is resource-intensive. Because they don’t burn gasoline, EVs typically generate fewer greenhouse gas emissions over the course of their lifetime, even when accounting for emissions due to manufacturing and charging.
Studies show that, depending on where electricity comes from, EVs usually “break even” in emissions after 1–2 years of driving compared to a gas car. As the power grid integrates more clean energy, this break even point will likely be even shorter.
Over their lifetime, EVs typically produce 50–70% fewer greenhouse gases than gasoline vehicles.
Mining Concerns
EVs require lithium, cobalt, nickel, and other minerals for batteries. Mining these has environmental and social impacts: habitat disruption, water use, pollution, and in some regions, unsafe labor practices.
However, most of these impacts happen upfront during manufacturing. The lifetime tailpipe emissions saved by battery use mitigate the overall environmental impacts of EV ownership.
Battery recycling is expanding, which can reduce mining demand. Although, the United States lacks standards for handling batteries after their use in EVs. There are logistical and financial costs related to recycling, including battery pack transportation and disassembly, as well as perceived health and safety concerns.
Cost-Savings for EV Drivers
EVs may cost more to buy upfront, but they’re usually cheaper to own and operate than gas cars in the long run.
Compared to gas-powered vehicles, EVs require less maintenance and are generally cheaper to maintain over their lifetime.
That lifetime can be long, too. While most manufacturers offer an 8-year warranty for EV batteries, the expected battery lifetime can reach up to 15 years under normal driving conditions. For contrast, the average age for a vehicle on American roads is 12.6 years.
Hear from Real Alabamians Who Drive EVs
What motivated you to purchase an EV?
Emily N.
I try to walk my talk when it comes to my concern about climate change. I’d already gotten efficient windows, reinsulated my home and gone totally electric (I can also recommend an induction stovetop), so the EV was next on the list. Purchasing the car was so significant that I recall the date: February 4, 2022.
Brian D.
My previous car was a 2014 Subaru Crosstrek with 180K miles on it. It was a good car but at that age things break and I was constantly dealing with oil changes, engine/transmission issues and it was a lot of upkeep. I was also commuting between Atlanta and Birmingham 3X a week so wanted something more fuel efficient. Originally I was thinking about a hybrid but when I found an EV that could easily get me to Atlanta on 1 charge I decided to try the Ford Mustang Mach E. After test driving it, I was sold! My commute costs went from $30 in gas a day to about $10 in electricity (300 miles round trip).
Joshwa M. of ECOBuzz Dynamics
I decided to get an EV because it just made sense for me. I was tired of spending so much on gas, and I liked the idea of driving something better for the environment. Plus, I’m into new technology, and EVs are pretty fun to drive—quiet, quick, and just a better overall experience.
Overall, how has your experience owning an EV been?
Emily N.
I’ve only been pleased with my Tesla.
Brian D.
So far it’s been great! Had it for 2.5 years and have put 62K miles on it. I do a lot of long distance traveling for work so I will regularly take trips to Florida, New Orleans, Memphis and Nashville. My work still pays me for mileage even though I have an EV and many of the hotels I stay at for work have chargers now. So I can drive into a hotel after a day of travel and it will be fully charged by morning. I used to make some money through work reimbursement before my EV. Now it’s considerably more
No issues with the electric motor so far or running out of power. I originally bought a 200 ft extension cable that I keep in the car in case I needed to plug into an outlet for an emergency but have never needed it for that. It does come in handy when we go on vacation to some cabin in the mountains. If we spend a weekend somewhere, the car can be fully charged off a regular outlet at an Airbnb.
The range of the car DOES go down in cold weather. If it’s below 32, I find I lose about 25% of my range. If I lived where it snowed, I might be a bit more hesitant for long road trips. Oddly enough my range has been extended in weather over 90 degrees.
There have been a few unexpected upsides to driving an EV. I didn’t expect the speed and responsiveness that electric motors have. My vehicle doesn’t have racing specs nor is it a particularly fast EV but it outperforms most muscle cars on the road without even trying! I’ve also never had to run to the gas station in the morning before work due to a low gas tank. Since I charge at home, it’s ready to go each morning. If I just drive around town, I maybe need to plug it in once or twice a week. It doesn’t need to be an everyday thing. I cut out all my time and worry about if I filled up recently.
Joshwa M. of ECOBuzz Dynamics
Overall, it’s been a really good experience. I don’t miss stopping at gas stations, and charging has been pretty simple once I got into a routine. The car is fun to drive, and honestly, it feels like I’m driving the future. There are a few times I’ve had to plan around charging, but it hasn’t been a big deal.
Do you find it less expensive than gas-powered vehicle ownership? Fuel and maintenance savings are often cited as pros to EV ownership.
Emily N.
Though it wasn’t yet evident I bought the car when its price was at its peak. My purchase was also in the window when I got no federal tax break. So, it’ll take me a long time to come out ahead, but I do expect to. I’m happy to say that I do enjoy avoiding pumping gasoline and oil changes.
Brian D.
Overall, it’s considerably cheaper to maintain. After 62K miles, my maintenance costs are;
Replaced air cabin filter 3X = $60
Tire rotation 5X = Free so far
New set of tires at 55K miles = $1,100
My electricity costs have gone up by roughly $100 a month but my gasoline expenditure has decreased by about $300 a month. (I drive a lot though, that’s probably not typical for most drivers.)
There is a ton of maintenance that I don’t need to do now! There are no drive or transmission belts. The transmission is a single gear and will likely last the life of the vehicle. With regenerative braking, I rarely actually use the brakes, they will likely last the life of the car. There is no engine oil to change. Without engine vibration, many other parts will likely last longer as well. The high voltage battery is estimated to get around 400K miles before it hits 80% state of health so it’s unlikely I will ever need to replace it. The motors are literally copper coils wrapped around magnets so will also last the life of the vehicle.
I will still need to maintain the AC unit as well as the regular 12 volt car battery just like a typical car. But those have been fine so far.
Joshwa M. of ECOBuzz Dynamics
Yeah, it’s definitely cheaper overall. Charging costs way less than filling up a gas tank, and there’s a lot less maintenance since there aren’t oil changes or as many parts to worry about. It’s one of those things where the savings just add up the longer you own it.
A lot of EV-hesitance comes from perceptions of limited charging networks across the state/region, especially when making longer road trips. Has this been an issue for you?
Emily N.
I bought the Tesla Model 3 Extended Range in order to use Tesla’s charging network, which is very reliable, but not quite as convenient as stopping for gasoline. When I decided to pay extra to get the additional range I was committing myself to taking road trips. My longest adventures have been to New Hampshire. When the legislature is in session I drive to Montgomery a few times for advocacy and I can do that round trip without having to charge along the way.
Brian D.
When I first got my car, I couldn’t charge at Tesla stations, so I was limited to a smaller infrastructure. There were a few times, (especially in Mississippi) where I had to drive a bit out of my way to find a charger. However, since Ford was opened up to the Tesla network I have access to charge pretty much anywhere. My car has an app in it that will find charger stations and even put them on my route if needed. There are also 3rd party apps that do a great job of finding nearby chargers. But if you are traveling long distances, you will be taking freeways/highways and most fast chargers are along major highways.
I also find it helps that EV’s are less popular in the South than say California. I rarely run into a situation where I need to wait for a charger to open up. 98% of the time I can roll right up and plug in when I need to. I can also get to my house with a 1% charge and by morning my car will have a full charge. Takes the stress out of finding the next gas station when you’re almost home but running on empty.
Joshwa M. of ECOBuzz Dynamics
Honestly, it hasn’t been much of an issue for me. Most of my charging happens at home or around town, so I’m not stressing about it day to day. On longer trips, yeah, I have to plan a little more, but the charging networks are getting better and I’ve always been able to find a spot when I needed one.