Electric Vehicles

Electric vehicles are certainly a hot topic, as you’ve likely seen them mentioned through the media recently. We have collected some information here to help you stay informed. Certainly, if you are in the market for one of these vehicles, we hope this information will help you – beginning with the simple encouragement to do your homework. While these vehicles will have a lot to offer, a purchase will not be as simple as driving the car off the lot.

While most automobile manufacturers will offer electric vehicles in the near future, the Middle Tennessee area has been designated as an early market for the Nissan's all-electric Leaf, which will be available here late this year. Consumers in the Middle Tennessee, Knoxville and Chattanooga areas who decide to buy a Leaf might be eligible for a $2,500 rebate from the State and free home charging equipment through a federal grant.

This federal grant comes through a company called ECOtality. The Department of Energy awarded grant money to ECOtality for The EV Project. Through this project, ECOtality will deploy 8,300 electric vehicles and 15,000 charging stations in 16 cities across the United States, including the Nashville area. Along with Chattanooga and Knoxville, our area will be the only ones to include a unique aspect of the project: solar-assisted charging stations.

As transportation and electricity become linked, MTEMC’s goal remains to provide members with reliable, affordable power. For example, MTEMC is participating in a national Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) study that models the impact of EV charging on power distribution. Also, MTEMC employees are serving on the Nashville Advisory Board for The EV Project and helping to assess potential charging locations in the community.