A new electric vehicle charging station at Cumberland Farms in Orange Beach will benefit the local economy by giving tourists and local EV owners an additional place for convenient charging.
Local officials joined representatives from EG America, a convenience store retailer with over 1,500 locations across the country, to celebrate the new EV charging station on Wednesday with a ceremonial ribbon-cutting at Cumberland Farms, located at 23679 Canal Road in Orange Beach.
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs provided funding for construction of the EV charging station as part of its EV infrastructure program, which pays for up to 80 percent of a station’s construction through grant funding.
“Millions of people visit Alabama’s beaches for vacation or work conferences annually, and reliable EV fast charging infrastructure is one amenity that will keep the growing segment of the market that are EVs coming to our beaches and spending their money,” said Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition President Michael Staley, who served as emcee for Wednesday’s event. “Our state has had a very popular competitive grant program through ADECA that has brought together public and private sector partners, like EG America, to make Alabama’s Gulf Coast a more welcoming place for EV owners to visit.”
ADECA’s state-funded program has resulted in partnerships with public and non-public entities and the completion of more than 30 EV charging stations, with more under construction. In 2024, the program helped more than a dozen new EV charging stations open.
The addition of EV charging stations helps businesses. In fact, a study by MIT found that businesses within a mile of EV chargers experience a notable increase in customer traffic and spending. In addition, EV owners spend money on other goods and services while charging, and every dollar spent positively impacts the local and state economy.
“We are incredibly grateful for our partnership with ADECA that helped bring this charging station to our Cumberland Farms location here in Orange Beach,” said Maurice Mallard, district sales manager for EG America. “This new charging station further solidifies this store as a one-stop convenience destination, allowing our guests who use electric vehicles to stop in, charge up, and continue enjoying their time in Orange Beach. With this new addition, we’re looking forward to continuing to deliver unmatched value to our guests.”
The number of EVs on American roads continues to grow – up to 4.1 million in 2024, a noticeable increase from two million in 2022 and 1.3 million in 2021, according to Experion Automotive.
“Alabama’s leaders understand that the number of EVs on the road is growing, and that’s why we are working to add to the number of public chargers available throughout the state,” said ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell. “That is good for EV owners who have a convenient place to charge their vehicles and good for the community as those owners eat at local restaurants and shop at local businesses while their vehicles are charging.”
Drive Electric Alabama is a statewide education platform dedicated to improving the state through the adoption of electric vehicles. EVs can create Alabama-based jobs, save money and make people’s lives more convenient. Add to that a healthier, cleaner place to live, and you have countless reasons to plug in. Learn more at driveelectricalabama.com.
