Alabama electric car drivers show off their rides around the state

Alabama drivers who want to learn more about electric vehicles can attend showcase events in Auburn or Birmingham this week organized by the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition.

The first of the three EV showcases took place Saturday at the Stovehouse in Huntsville, as dozens of electric vehicle drivers put their cars on display and answered questions for those who want to know what it’s like to drive an electric or plug-in hybrid car.

Nathan Curtis, of Madison, said the best part of driving his Ford Mustang Mach-E was never having to worry about going to the gas station.

“I didn’t even know what gas prices are,” Curtis said in a news release. “It’s just so convenient going home and plugging it in.”

Vehicles on display at the Huntsville event included Curtis’s Mustang, as well as electric vehicles made by Tesla, Volkswagen, Chevrolet, Ford, Porsche, BMW, Mini, Nissan and Kia.

The next EV showcase event will be Wednesday at 7 p.m. on the Auburn University campus’s South Parking Lot. The third will be Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon at Pepper Place in Birmingham.

The showcases are part of National Drive Electric Week, a nationwide series of events to introduce customers to electric vehicles. Mark Bentley, executive director of the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition, said events like these are a great opportunity for the public to learn more about electric vehicles as more options become available.

“Consumers are realizing electric vehicles are fun to drive, and they provide major savings because driving on electricity is much cheaper than fueling with gasoline,” Bentley said in a news release. “It’s important to educate consumers on the many benefits available as EVs become more commonplace on Alabama roads.”

Saturday’s event was coordinated by the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition, HuntsVolt, Energy Alabama, Drive Electric Alabama and Charlie Foster’s. The City of Huntsville and Huntsville Utilities were also sponsors.