The Congressional Black Caucus held its annual legislative conference in Washington, D.C., last Friday, where they held a panel on the automotive industry’s transition to electric vehicle manufacturing.

Participating in the panel were Rep. Terri Sewell (D-Birmingham) and Alabama Power Company Vice President of Governmental Affairs Houston Smith. Sewell and Smith credited the new industry with creating hundreds of jobs in the Yellowhammer State.

The panel also focused on ensuring Black Americans are not left out of this technological transformation.

“We are very proud in Alabama of our auto industry,” Sewell said, adding that electric
vehicles have resulted in an additional 2,300 jobs in Alabama in the last two years. Sewell also thanked Alabama Power for being the sponsor of the panel.

While cost and availability have been initial barriers to many Americans transitioning to electric vehicles, Sewell said, “EVs are increasingly becoming more available and more affordable.”

“Millions … really billions of dollars are being invested by the Biden Administration and the private sector to make the transition a success,” she said.

Sewell said one aspect that will help make the transition a success is ensuring more charging stations are available in neighborhoods and cities, which will allow residents to be able to charge their EVs close to where they live, work, and shop.

Smith described how this emerging automotive technology will impact automotive manufacturing, which is responsible for 80,000 jobs in Alabama.

“Alabama’s economy depends on the future of automobiles; and electric vehicles will increasingly play a large role in the future of this industry,” Smith said. “For us, that means jobs and it means growth in our economy.”

Smith said Alabama Power, automakers, governmental and elected officials, and others are working together to make sure that Alabama is positioned to take advantage of the many benefits of this changing industry.

“We’re the number three exporter of automobiles in the country, and we have to make sure that we’re having discussions with policy makers that take into account what the transition to electric vehicles means to the state of Alabama,” said Smith.

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