Dory Larsen on Electric Vehicles: A Georgia Climate Digest Interview

Chapters

00:00 Welcome and Dory Larsen’s Path to Clean Energy 

01:59 What Is the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy? 

02:23 Why Electric Transportation Is a Health and Climate Solution 

05:55 Georgia’s Economic Boom in EV Manufacturing 

10:37 SACE’s E-Mobility Equity Programs 

14:45 Electrifying School Buses and Affordable Housing Charging 

19:33 Inside the Drawdown Georgia EV Toolkit 

22:52 Debunking Common EV Misconceptions 

27:07 Why Dory Loves Driving Electric 

29:27 What’s Giving Dory Hope for Georgia’s Climate Future

Electric vehicles are growing rapidly as a climate solution in Georgia. How do we make sure the benefits of EVs reach every Georgian? What’s actually true behind some of the common misconceptions about electric vehicles? And when you’re ready to consider an EV, where can you find answers to the questions you actually have?

In this Georgia Climate Digest interview, host Eriqah Vincent talks with Dory Larsen of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE) about Georgia’s booming EV manufacturing economy, SACE’s e-mobility equity work across the Southeast, and why she loves driving electric herself.

Why Is Georgia Becoming an EV Manufacturing Powerhouse?

Dory Larsen breaks down the numbers behind Georgia’s EV and battery manufacturing boom, including $23.2 billion in investment tied to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act, and why Georgia now leads the nation, ahead of Michigan, in committed investment and permanent jobs.

How Is SACE Working Toward E-Mobility Equity?

Dory walks through SACE’s equity-focused programs, including the Electric Black Futures project in Albany, Atlanta, and Savannah, an affordable EV car-sharing pilot in Charlotte, and efforts to bring electric school buses to the neighborhoods that need cleaner air the most.

What Does the Drawdown Georgia EV Toolkit Cover?

Dory shares why she co-authored Drawdown Georgia’s EV toolkit, and how it helps Georgians, whether or not they’re in the market for an EV, understand charging costs, incentives, and how to advocate for electrified public transit.

Debunking the Biggest EV Myths

Dory addresses one of the most persistent EV misconceptions head-on: that electric vehicles pollute just as much as gas cars, walking through the real emissions data and why that gap keeps growing in Georgia’s favor.

What You’ll Learn

• Why Georgia has become the national leader in EV and battery manufacturing investment and jobs.
• How SACE is working to make sure e-mobility investment reaches historically underserved communities.
• What the Drawdown Georgia EV toolkit covers, from charging basics to available incentives.
• The real data behind EV emissions, including how the lifecycle math compares to a gas car.
• What everyday maintenance and cost differences actually look like when you own an EV.

Continue reading in our companion blog for more on how electric vehicles are transforming Georgia’s economy and communities.

Download the Interview Transcript

Prefer to read the conversation instead? Download the complete transcript of this interview to explore Dory Larsen’s insights on electric vehicles as a climate solution in Georgia.