BALDWIN COUNTY, Ala. (WPMI) — Making America's cars go electric is no longer a story about building the cars. America's electric grid will be challenged by the need to deliver clean power to those cars.
Is Alabama ready? Is your local power company ready?
By 2030, according to one study, the nation will need to invest as much as $125 billion in the grid to allow it to handle electric vehicles.
The current infrastructure bill before congress puts about $5 billion towards transmission line construction and upgrades. Baldwin County State Senator Chris Elliot says in Alabama, it will take a collaborative effort between state government and those who supply the power.
" I think that building out an electrical grid, and the electrical infrastructure necessary will require a wholesale change from internal combustion engines to battery powered vehicles will be something that will take decades to accomplish," said Senator Elliot.
By 2050, most states project electric cars, trucks, and buses will use 14% of the total output. Overall demand could grow by as much as 50% in most major cities.
Glen Kaiser of Kaiser Vacation Rentals in Orange Beach is showing off the latest tourist attraction. His company is building 14 new vacation homes with EV charging stations.
"We know that the market and the people that are buying EV cars is growing, and they love their cars. so they want to take them on vacations," says Kaiser.
Power companies statewide are making plans right now in regards to infrastructure. Baldwin County's largest power company, Baldwin EMC, is working with its supplier. Throughout the next several years, that supplier, along with others, will be testing the system.
Written by James Gordon. This article originally appears in NBC News 15.