The Alabama Clean Fuel Coalition (ACFC) released new analysis showing Birmingham ranks second in the nation for daily miles traveled by personal vehicles. ACFC noted that the high miles traveled present significant fuel savings opportunities for Birmingham drivers who switch to electric vehicles (EVs).

of analysis Mobility analytics firm Replica looked at weekday private car trips in the nation's 50 largest metropolitan areas starting in fall 2023. Birmingham drivers drive an average of 36.1 miles per day, about 20% more than the national average, and spend more than two hours in their cars each day.

Birmingham/Hoover ranks second in the nation in miles driven per capita and daily travel time, making Birmingham one of the driving capitals of America.

“This study shows that people in Birmingham travel longer distances to work than almost any other place in the country, Atlanta, Houston or Dallas,” said Michael Staley, president of the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition, which promotes the cost-effective adoption of domestic alternative fuels. “The REPLICA figures show how many miles Birmingham commuters drive on average each day, but at current gas prices, our analysis shows that drivers could save $135 a month by switching from gasoline to electric.”

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“That's about an additional $1,600 a year,” Staley continues. “When you factor in not having to spend money on oil changes and tune-ups, it's a big savings for any household. Because Birmingham drivers drive more miles, the savings could be greater than in other cities.”

Staley noted that savings can double if electric vehicle owners take advantage of utility-based incentives. Alabama Power, for example, offers: Discounted accommodation rates for EV owners From 9pm to 5am, $500 discount for EV owners who install Level 2 chargers at home.

“At Alabama Power, we are committed to providing EV-focused solutions to our customers to make the transition from gasoline-powered to electric vehicles as easy as possible,” said Hasin Gandakwala, electric transportation manager for Alabama Power. “Charging a vehicle is already significantly cheaper than filling up with gas, and these programs are designed to widen that price gap even further for EV drivers.”

In addition to cost-saving programs offered by utility companies, motorists can also save money when purchasing a new car. Federal tax credit of up to $7,500.

“Federal tax credits may be available for the purchase or lease of an electric vehicle,” said Tom Dart, president of the Alabama Automobile Dealers Association. “In fact, starting earlier this year, new federal rules allow consumers to transfer the credit to a qualifying dealer to receive an immediate discount at the point of sale, effectively lowering the list price for the customer.”

Alabama is also doing its part through public education campaigns such as: Drive Electric AlabamaThe goal of the initiative is to make major EV infrastructure investments across the state. In recent years, the number of EVs on Alabama roads has increased, and the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) has Statewide EV Infrastructure Plan and Subsidies for building public charging stations.

Blake Hardwich, Executive Director Alabama Energy InstituteHe noted that EVs not only create savings for consumers, but are also important to Alabama's economy, with Mercedes-Benz in Tuscaloosa and Hyundai in Montgomery building electric vehicles in their factories and creating jobs in Alabama.

“As more Americans switch from gasoline-powered vehicles to electric vehicles, we want to make sure those vehicles are built right here in Alabama,” Hardwich said. “Automobiles are Alabama's largest export, and We are the number one automobile manufacturer in Japan. We want to keep it that way.”

Grayson Everett is the state and politics editor for Yellow Hammer News. You can follow him on Twitter. Grayson