TAEBC’s Energizing Tennessee releases bonus episode busting EV myths

As part of its mini-series on transportation electrification, the Tennessee Advanced Energy Business Council (TAEBC) released a bonus episode busting four common myths about electric vehicles (EVs).

The episode, released during the Tennessee Sustainable Transportation Forum & Expo and the Drive Electric Tennessee Momentum Summit, features host Cortney Piper and guests Ryan Stanton, Sr. Project Manager – EV Evolution at the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), and Alexa Voytek, Deputy Director, Office of Energy Programs at the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC).

Stanton and Voytek, both EV experts and advocates, help dispel common EV myths and talk about their work to educate the public on the benefits of going electric. Some of these myths include: the electric grid can’t support EVs; EVs aren’t environmentally friendly; EV batteries don’t last long and can’t be recycled; and EV chargers are hard to find.

“It’s important to dispel EV myths to boost consumer confidence,” Voytek said. “One of the single largest ways an individual can reduce their carbon footprint is to reduce their transportation impact, and with TVA’s generation portfolio comprised of nearly 60 percent carbon-free power, we have the benefit of being able to leverage that clean electricity to magnify ever further those gains.”

Stanton discussed TVA, TDEC, and other statewide partners’ goal to get 200,000 EVs on Tennessee roads by 2028, and addressed TVA’s ability to meet the increased demand on the electric grid.

“To put it in perspective, we have just over 20,000 EVs on the roads today, and adding those 200,000 in a few more years in the grand scheme of things would only represent about a half a percent of TVA’s current load today,” Stanton said.

Upcoming episodes of Energizing Tennessee will dive deeper into Tennessee’s goal of becoming the number one state in the country for the EV supply chain. Topics include battery materials sourcing, manufacturing, and recycling, hydrogen as a sustainable fuel source, and the power of solar to transform rural communities.

Click HERE to listen to the bonus episode of Energizing Tennessee, powered by TAEBC and FirstBank, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast streaming platform.

About Tennessee Advanced Energy Business Council

TAEBC champions advanced energy as an economic development and job creation strategy. Advanced energy is technology neutral and includes electricity and transportation. Anything that makes energy cleaner, safer, more secure or more efficient is in the tent. No other entity in the state concentrates specifically on this robust sector. We educate public officials and business leaders about Tennessee’s advanced energy economy, establish strategic partnerships to connect assets with opportunities, and inform policy that expands and strengthens the industry. TAEBC hosts the Energizing Tennessee podcast, which explores the latest news and insights about the advanced energy sector. For more information, visit: https://tnadvancedenergy.com/.