August 1, 2022 Home
There are about 2 and 1/2 million electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles
in use in the US today. The growth rate is about 2% per year. Estimates are that there are
16 million EVs worldwide, with the fastest growth rates being in Europe and China.
The US has been slower to adopt to EVs and lags behind other nations in producing the
vehicles and building out the necessary charging stations. This is about to change. And
Tennessee is playing a lead role as a producer of EVs and the batteries needed for EVs.
Check out the list!
Ford – The “Blue Oval City” is in progress. A $5.6 billion investment in Haywood County will
produce electric trucks and electric batteries. The long awaited electric Ford F-150
Lightning pickup is now on the road. If you have 13 minutes, watch this video:
Although this article is not an ad for the F-150, it is worth noting that this vehicle will power
your home during a power outage for more than two days.
Cadillac – A variety of Cadillac EVs will be produced in Spring Hill. General Motors is
investing $2 billion in this assembly plant. When first offered, orders for the 2023 Cadillac
LYRIQ Debut Edition sold out in about 10 minutes.
Volkswagen – VW has recently begun producing the VWID.4 and battery packs for the
vehicle at its plant in Chattanooga. VW invested close to $1 billion in restructuring its
existing plant. By the end of this year, the plant will be producing 7,000 of these SUVs per
month.
Nissan – The Nissan Leaf is produced in Smyrna. Production of this vehicle began in 2011.
More than 500,000 Leafs are on the road today. Nissan will begin manufacturing a
redesigned EV at the Smyrna plant by 2024.
Rivian – Although Rivian produces electric trucks and SUVs, it has no manufacturing plants
in Tennessee. However, the company is installing level 2 chargers in all Tennessee state
parks. Rivian will cover the cost of any needed utility upgrades, such as improving electric
service panels or transformers.
Most people who use EVs (cars, pickups) can charge them overnight at their homes, using
a plug in cable. As you travel around the state, you will notice more and more EVs on the
road and more charging stations in parking lots, malls and motels.
To learn more about electric vehicles in Tennessee, check out this website:
www.driveelectrictn.org.
Everyone needs to learn more about our electric cooperative. For more information, go to pve.coop.
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