News Highlights
By Faith Little, WJHL
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — The First Tennessee Development District (FTDD) hosted a ribbon-cutting on Tuesday for a pair of new electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at its headquarters in Johnson City.
According to the FTDD, the charging stations were unveiled along with a fleet of four electric vehicles that its members will use, aiming to lead “the region into a cleaner, more sustainable future for its staff and the public they serve.”
The organization said the project was made possible by the Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA) EnergyRight Program, Seven States Power Corporation, Tennessee Tech University’s Rural Reimagined initiative and East Tennessee Clean Fuels’ EMPOWER workforce charging program.
According to the FTDD, it is one of nine regionally-based organizations in the Volunteer State that carries out general and comprehensive planning and development activities for local governments.
By Larry Griffin, Six Rivers Media
A new fleet of four electronic vehicles will help the First Tennessee Development District do its work with the aging and disabled communities in rural areas, Rural Planning Organizing Coordinator Chase Milner said at a ribbon cutting Tuesday.
The cars are 2025 Ford Mustang Mach-E’s, which Milner said are safe vehicles and would be good for their community work.
“The back seats can drop forward,” he said. “There’s a big trunk, which is really good for when we host a public event and need to move boxes. It’s a good way of getting around. We have people doing Meals on Wheels, serving Planning Commission meetings, doing housing and development, there’s a lot of stuff we do.”
Milner said FTDD was looking to be more environmentally friendly with the cars. In addition, the FTDD will save $13,377 per year for the next 20 years by switching to electric, according to data from the Tennessee Valley Authority.
Johnson City, Tenn. — The First Tennessee Development District (FTDD) is leading the region into a cleaner, more sustainable future for its staff and the public they serve. On Tuesday, October 14, 2025, the FTDD hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the launch of its first-ever fleet of four electric vehicles (EVs) and the installation of two EV charging stations at its Johnson City headquarters.
This milestone marks a significant step forward in advancing clean transportation and sustainable operations in the Appalachian Highlands. The project was made possible through a collaborative partnership among the Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA) EnergyRight® Program, Seven States Power Corporation, Tennessee Tech University’s Rural Reimagined initiative, and East Tennessee Clean Fuels’ EMPOWER workforce charging program.
Together, these partners assisted FTDD staff to pioneer a regional fleet model for integrating electric mobility, energy efficiency, and workforce development all the while serving rural Tennessee communities.
by WNKY staff
SCOTTSVILLE, Ky. – Scottsville is now the home of a brand new electric vehicle charging station.
According to the Scottsville Police Department, the city, along with Tri-County Electric and the Tennessee Valley Authority, hosted a ribbon-cutting to announce the grand opening.
The charging station is located at 115 South First St.
Drivers will need to access the ChargePoint app to use the station.
News 40 will provide further details as they become available.
(WCYB) — The Health Wagon is giving electric a test drive.
The organization operates mobile medical units and stationary clinics across Southwest Virginia. It has partnered with Virginia Clean Cities. The organization will be test-driving an electric vehicle, a Chevy Bolt, for the next month to evaluate its practicality and plan for charging needs.
For those interested in borrowing the Chevy Bolt for a 30-day trial, contact Tarah Kesterson at Virginia Clean Cities. Her email is tkesterson@vacleancities.org.
by Ryan Harnet, WHSV
NEW MARKET, Va. (WHSV) – It’s a first for the town of New Market’s fleet of vehicles.
The town of New Market and the Virginia Clean Cities program are teaming up to provide modernized service for rural towns and communities by taking a electric Ford F-150 for a 30-day test drive.
The town is testing the compatibility of the town’s equipment with the electric Ford truck provided by the Virginia Clean Cities rural reimagined program.
“That’s really the whole purpose of this is to explore and get to understand how it works with our equipment and what you know may overlap,” Nathan Garrison, Town Manager of New Market, said.
by Yannia Nordelo, WCYB News
NORTON, Va. (WCYB) — People who live in and are traveling through Norton now have a place to charge their electric vehicles.
Virginia Clean Cities, in partnership with Norton officials, opened a charging station at the Hampton Inn.
This is part of the federal program called Rural Reimagined that aims to implement low-cost clean transportation in rural Appalachian communities.
Virginia Clean City leaders tell News 5 these stations help communities in more ways than one.
When cars were first created we had to build a network of gas stations so now that EV adoption is increasing by about 40% every year we’ve got to build that in charging network the same as we did years ago so we’re glad that a lot of these communities, especially in rural Southwest West Virginia are getting on board and there’s places for people to stop as they travel through and see our beautiful home, said Tarah Kesterson Clean Communities Director for SWVA, Virginia Clean Cities.
Electric vehicle (EV) drivers in Southwest Virginia now have a new place to stop and charge. The Hampton Inn in Norton installed three new Level 2 dual-port EV charging stations. These Level 2 dual-port stations are the first for the city.
“This is the first step in building out electric vehicle charging infrastructure here in the city,” said City of Norton Mayor Joe Fawbush. “There is an opportunity to increase economic activity and tourism through these installations, and we want to ensure our businesses and community reap the benefits.”
The new EV stations offer six total charging ports and are open to the public. EV drivers passing through can stop and charge for a fee. The Hampton Inn is providing free EV charging for overnight guests.
“We are excited to offer electric vehicle charging to our guests and to add this station for EV drivers visiting downtown Norton,” said Hampton Inn General Manager Wes White. “Through our work with Virginia Clean Cities and the Rural Reimagined program we are able to meet sustainability goals that reduce our environmental impact and contribute to the well being of the communities where our hotels are located.”
by Natalea Hillen, WCYB
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WCYB) — The Northeast Tennessee Regional Public Transit System or NETTRANS is expanding its services in our region, thanks to federal grants from the Department of Energy.
The new NETTRANS Connect is coming soon to Greeneville and Tusculum with easily accessible and affordable same day rides. This could be your ride electrified.
For more than a year, NETTRANS has been working on adding on a new sustainable service called “Connect”.
“We’re using 100% electric vehicles. The Connect service operates in zones. Currently, we are in the city limits of Greeneville and Tusculum. Customers can be picked up within the zone and dropped off anywhere within the zone,” said First Tennessee Human Resources Agency Department of Transportation Director, Candace Long.
NETTRANS currently provides transportation services to people in all 8 counties of Northeast Tennessee, that you have to book 24 hours ahead of time.
But now with Connect, people within city limits of Greeneville and Tusculum can book same day rides.
Sustainability Heats Up (p. 18-19)
Caroline Furnace is a place to escape from everything except protecting natural resources.
by Preston Knight, Communication Manager
For a place that can rightfully bill itself as a destination to unplug from life, there’s irony in the latest goal Caroline Furnace Lutheran Camp & Retreat Center has to celebrate toward environmental sustainability: a pair of electric vehicle chargers. T he option for guests of the 257-acre property in Fort Valley to now plug into EV chargers fulfills another piece of an extensive set of achievements at the facility, which is a year-round retreat center with eight weeks of summer camp. Rural Shenandoah County, abutting the George Washington National Forest, might be an unlikely spot to find an EV charger, but the installation this Executive Director Tom Powell checks on a new EV charger installed this spring. Furnace installed 10 solar panels on its heavily used pavilion, insulated its cabin floors and foundations for improved heating and cooling efficiency, and replaced old light fixtures for LEDs in all facilities. These all assist in cutting electric costs across 27 buildings.
By Caroline Eggers, WPLN
Rural communities in Appalachia have struggled to transition to clean transportation.
But rural residents might stand to benefit more than their urban counterparts by switching to electric vehicles.
This idea is the basis for a project led by researchers at Tennessee Tech called “Rural Reimagined.” The central goal of the project is to speed vehicle electrification across most of Appalachia, including parts of Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.
“This is the community we’re trying to take care of, to build a robust foundation of an electric vehicle ecosystem,” said Pingen Chen, a mechanical engineering professor at Tennessee Tech and principal investigator for the project, which includes 60 partners and received funding from the U.S. Department of Energy.
The project has two major components to achieve a rural EV ecosystem: community exposure and charging infrastructure, with plans to install about 200 chargers across the region.
BRISTOL, Va. (WCYB) — An Earth Day Electric Vehicle Expo event, was held in Bristol, Virginia, on Saturday.
The event was coordinated by Virginia Clean Cities and showcased a variety of electric cars and offered attendees the chance to take an EV for a test drive and engage with electric vehicle owners.
“Today was an opportunity to really come down and talk to the drivers of these vehicles,” Tarah Kesterson from Virginia Clean Cities said. “What we have here are owners that drive the vehicles every day, they drive them long distances, they drive them to work, they take their kids to school in them. So it’s really to get ‘hey, how does this work in your life, in your daily commute?’ and get all the answers that you’re searching for if you’re thinking about getting an electric vehicle.”
The expo is part of an economic development initiative with the city, which includes plans to add more charging stations. The event also featured a quartet whose sound equipment is powered by an electric car, along with food trucks and activities for children.
Fast Charge Network Helps Accelerate EV Adoption
On a sunny Tennessee afternoon, a black electric pickup truck passes along Sparta Highway, cutting through the small town of McMinnville.
Destination: Ascension Saint Thomas River Park Hospital.
It pulls silently into the lot and into a parking spot, and out steps Larry Flatt, executive director of the automation and robotics program at nearby Motlow State Community College.
He’s soon greeted by teams from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Seven States Power Corporation and Tennessee Valley Authority, all gathered to celebrate the opening of the hospital’s two fast-charging stations in the Fast Charge Network.
The stations are now among 97 fast chargers available at 41 Fast Charge sites throughout the Valley region, making the path to EV adoption easier than ever.
Flatt drove the electric truck as part of a two-week, Tennessee Tech program aimed at encouraging use of electric vehicles in rural communities.
And don’t let the vehicle’s quiet motor fool you.
He found the benefits of the electric truck rivaled – and in some respects exceeded – those of a traditional combustion-engine truck.
If he wanted to, he could have taken this EV from 0 to 60 mph in about 4.1 seconds.
“It is a sweet, sweet ride,” he said. “It’s as comfortable for hauling cattle as it is taking a trip up to Nashville. I would definitely consider this for my secondary vehicle.”
By Austin Simms, lootpress
MONTGOMERY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Montgomery has recently installed an electric vehicle charging station.
According to the City of Montgomery, the new charging station has been installed near the Community Center at 612 3rd Avenue.
For a limited time, charging will be free.
After that, charging prices will be set at reasonable rates, according to the city.
By Robert Sorrell, Bristol News
At least two Southwest Virginia communities continue to lead the charge in sustainable transportation with their own electric vehicle chargers.
The town of Abingdon, with a population of less than 9,000 people, installed a charger in the spring of 2022 in Depot Square near the U.S. Post Office, according to Rick Statzer, the town’s building official.
Remarkably low in maintenance requirements, Statzer said, the EV charger boasts two plug-ins, catering to a variety of electric vehicles, including those compatible with Combined Charging System and CHAdeMO.
While it may not be a Tesla charger, its versatility ensures accessibility for a wide range of electric vehicle drivers passing through or residing in Abingdon.
Despite its advanced features, the charger demands minimal upkeep, according to Statzer.
This low-maintenance characteristic not only reduces operational costs but also enhances the charger’s reliability, ensuring uninterrupted service for users.
By Dwayne Yancey, Editor of Cardinal News
When I was growing up, whenever the conversation turned to cars (as it often did with boys growing up in rural Virginia), the big debate was whether you were on the Ford side or the Chevy side.
I remember this as a big point of contention in fifth grade.
These days the big argument is between those who back gas-powered cars and those who prefer electric vehicles.
It’s fascinating to me that this has become politicized, although I suppose most everything today becomes politicized.
Donald Trump was recently in Michigan where he told his audience that electric vehicles are “going to decimate your jobs and it’s going to decimate more than anybody else, the state of Michigan.”
There’s some truth in that but, like many things that Trump says, there’s a lot of context missing.
Electric vehicles do, indeed, require fewer workers than conventional vehicles do, partly because they involve a lot fewer parts. However, some studies show that if the United States is successful in “reshoring” a lot of that EV supply chain, then the total number of U.S.-based auto-related jobs will actually increase.
By Clint Thomas, Metro staff
The Southern Appalachian Labor School has entered an agreement with Tennessee Technological University for testing an electric vehicle at the Fayette County facility, with hopes of jump-starting the local economy in the process.
The EV has been made available through a U.S. Department of Energy grant to Tennessee Tech that is titled “Rural Reimagined: Building an EV Ecosystem for Appalachia.”
Jon Averill, the program’s coordinator for West Virginia, said in a release that the objective of the program is to build the underpinnings of a comprehensive EV ecosystem and green economy in one of the most economically challenged regions of Appalachia. He said the project is intended to bring clean and affordable mobility to underserved areas, such as SALS’ service area, by creating a necessary recharging infrastructure and adopting and demonstrating various cost-effective EV applications.
Bonnie Cranmer
Contributing writer
There are five states in the Appalachian region that are participating in the Rural Reimagined program. Virginia Clean Cities is the statewide organization tasked with sharing the vehicles and the expansion of electric vehicle knowledge in Virginia. The challenge is to find both the benefits and challenges of using electric vehicles in rural areas.
The four vehicles available to borrow include the Ford F-150 Lightning, Chevy Bolt EUV, Ford Mustang Mach-e, and Voltswagon ID4. This is a multi-year program of the Department of Energy, and it has big goals.
As stated on their website, “This project aims to provide clean and affordable mobility options to the underserved communities by developing needed charging infrastructure, and adopting and demonstrating various cost-effective EVs in diverse applications. In addition, by partnering with a broad set of EV stakeholders, this project aims to create outreach, training and education opportunities to residents in rural and low-income Appalachian communities to kick-start electric vehicle adoption and clean-energy job opportunities where it is needed most.”
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) – Electric vehicles (EV’s) are popping up more frequently in recent years. Tennessee Tech University and the East Tennessee Clean Fuels Coalition are partnered together on a federally-funded project that allows Appalachian region residents to test drive one of these cars.
Rural Reimagined works with five states in the Appalachian region: Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia and Virginia. People who live in these states will be given a chance to drive an EV and see how the cars work with their transportation needs.
Jennifer Kidd, a senior project manager with East Tennessee Clean Fuels Coalition, said the project wants to focus on expanding EV usage into rural areas.
“The goal of the project is to give residents of the Appalachian region a little bit of experience driving an electric vehicle. They also have a component that will supply electric vehicle charging stations to different potential site hosts in the region,” Kidd said. “We’re just trying to just build a little bit more of a network and bring some electric vehicles and infrastructure to the area.”
A new electric vehicle (EV) charging station is set to be installed at Perry County Park, officials announced during the Fiscal Court meeting on Jan. 9.
Bill McIntosh, Perry County community development coordinator, said the charging station is part of an initiative already adopted by cities such as Prestonsburg and Campton.
“Tennessee Tech currently has a program where they’re selecting certain sites to participate in an electric vehicle charging station program,” McIntosh said. “They will provide the station to us at no cost and train our men to install and maintain the charging station.”
McIntosh emphasized the potential benefits for the public and tourists.
“We have the opportunity to provide a service to the public and even tourists coming through with the use of this charging station,” he said. “I know Prestonsburg and Campton are participating. We would be the first one in our neighborhood to participate in this program. So we have an opportunity to explore this and see if it will be beneficial and become something we continue to do later on and put up other charging stations around the county to allow people traveling to stop in Hazard and Perry County, which hopefully would boost our economy a little bit.”
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Citizens and Tennessee officials alike have been thinking of new ways to make the state greener.
For years, there has been an uptick in electric vehicles (EVs) on the roads. Meanwhile, different local organizations have started producing their own ideas on how to encourage drivers to make the change from gasoline to electric power.
Rural Reimagined is one of these innovative programs that encourages buying EVs.
Pingen Chen, associate professor of mechanical engineering at Tennessee Tech University, is helping with the Rural Reimagined program. He said that this program is a U.S. Department of Energy-funded large-scale EV community project.
The goal of the project is to become the backbone of the EV ecosystem in rural communities and make a greener economy.
Saltville is the first location in Smyth County with a public electric vehicle charging station.
Town Manager Brian Martin announced the plan at the Nov. 14 town council meeting and the station was installed last week. It is expected to be operational in the next week or two and has been listed on the Virginia Department of Transportation EV map and linked into Google maps.
The station was installed in the post office parking lot next to the town commons. Martin said it is the only station not at a private business at this point between Wytheville and Exit 7 of Interstate 81.
“We’re eight miles off the interstate but we’re the only one for 80 miles,” Martin said, “and if we have it right here in our downtown I think that will be a good spot for people to plug in and have a meal, check out the museum, whatever.”
RICHMOND, Ky. (FOX 56) — Have you considered going electric for your next car? The once-viewed fad has turned into the next wave of driving across the nation.
But if you’re still unsure about driving on electric, a new program in parts of eastern, central, and southern Kentucky offers you to try before you buy. The program allows anyone who lives in one of 54 select counties to test drive an electric vehicle for two-six weeks before deciding to buy one.
West Virginia really stood out in the Rural Reimagined EV project (www.rural-reimagined.com)! Yesterday, Tennessee Tech delivered three more ChargePoint dual-port level-2 charging stations to three rural cities in WV (Hinton, Montgomery, and Webster Springs). These charging stations will soon be installed to serve rural communities and EV visitors in WV. Had really good meetings with community leaders and truly appreciate the partnership and leadership from Ted Kula (Commissioner of Summers County), John Tuggle (Director of Region 4 Planning and Development Council), Chris Graham (Webster County EDA Director), Greg Ingram (Mayor of Montgomery).
The recent decision to add electric car chargers will soon be bringing a big-town feel to Mountain City. According to local officials, the modern technology is hoped to be up and running this week on South Church Street at the metal building beside City Hall. Although the new service has been on the City Council’s agenda for months, implementation has taken longer than originally expected.
“I have had requests for the last three years,” said Mayor Jerry Jordan. “Mostly salesmen who travel to Mountain City from Kingsport use electric cars and request somewhere to charge them so they can get back home.”
The center of Jefferson City became the pulse point for plug-in transportation Saturday afternoon when Appalachian Electric Cooperative coordinated the “2023 Lakeway Area EV Ride and Drive” event on Carson-Newman University’s campus. Various Teslas, Chevrolet Bolts and a couple of Fords were available for driving or ride-along opportunities.
Working with East Tennessee Clean Fuels (ETCF) and the Knoxville Electric Vehicle Association (KEVA), AEC assembled a cadre of EVs the public could review. Those registered could select one for a test drive on a predetermined 4.2-mile route.
Visit Wytheville and Wytheville Meeting Center staff have been using the electric vehicle provided by Virginia Clean Cities to make deliveries and run errands associated with the operation of the Visitors Center and Meeting Center. Virginia Clean Cities has loaned the 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EUV Premier to the Town of Wytheville during March as part of the Rural Reimagined program.
The Town has established a page on their website to help businesses and individuals learn of opportunities available through federal and state funding sources, tax credits, and other initiatives. You may visit that page at https://www.wytheville.org/wytheville-charged#/find/nearest.
Throughout the month of March, you may see Town of Wytheville staff driving an electric vehicle around town as they accomplish their daily tasks. Virginia Clean Cities is loaning the Town a 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EUV Premier as part of the Rural Reimagined program.
Virginia Clean Cities has the goal of advancing air quality improvement, economic opportunity, and energy security through the deployment of alternative fuel vehicles and infrastructure, education programs, and other petroleum reduction activities. The Clean Cities program is sponsored by the Department of Energy.
PENNINGTON GAP, VA. (Powell Valley News) — A Chevy Bolt EUV has been seen around Pennington Gap and the surrounding area during February with Town manager Keith Harless positioned behind the wheel.
Harless can be heard offering high praise for the electric vehicle with the low operating cost, zero tailpipe emissions and technological innovations that the EUV utilizes all features that he finds attractive.
“I’ve noticed the trend for electric cars over the past several years and our area is like a desert when it comes to charging stations for public use,” said Harless. “That deters people from visiting Pennington Gap.”
He conducted research on EVs which allowed him to discover a campaign to promote electric vehicle travel in areas such as Southwest Virginia which are lacking infrastructure. Virginia Clean Cities, which is based in Harrisonburg at James Madison University, was along with the regional project which is called “Rural Reimagined” with the campaign part of an initiative to help bring greater access for travel through charging infrastructure to rural areas.
FAIRMONT, W.Va. (WV News) — The Fairmont-Marion County Transit Authority on Tuesday afternoon became the first public transit organization in the state to unveil an electric van, which will be used as part of a larger initiative to increase alternative energy in Appalachia.
The initiative, called the “Rural Reimagined, Building an EV Ecosystem for Appalachia” project, is led by the Tennessee Technological University, with other partners including schools like West Virginia University, power and electric companies, local governments and others across West Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio and Virginia.
Overall, the project aims to promote the increased adoption of electric vehicles, support infrastructure to provide charging for those vehicles, encourage the availability of electric vehicles in rural areas and “spur green economy development around transportation electrification.”
