NC poised to be leader in electric vehicle technology :: WRAL.com

HAVE ANY UPDATES THROUGHOUT THIS NEWSCAST AND ON WRAL DOT COM. >> THE FUTURE OF THE AUTO INDUSTRY IS TAKING SHAPE HERE IN NORTH CAROLINA, GOVERNOR ROY COOPER HERE AND OTHER STATE LEADERS MADE IT CLEAR WE WILL BE ON THE FRONT LINES OF THE PUSH TO GO GREEN, LOCAL COMPANIES LIKE SIEMENS AND WENDELL ARE MAKING EFFORTS TO ADVANCE THE CAUSE OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES. THIS COMES AS DRIVERS CONTINUE TO DEAL WITH HIGH GAS PRICES. THE BUREAU'S AARON THOMAS IS LIVE TONIGHT IN WENDELL WERE INFRASTRUCTURE IS BEING MADE AND THE GOVERNOR AND CONGRESSWOMAN DEBORAH ROSS WERE THERE TODAY. >> YES, YOU'RE OLD AND THEY GOT A GLIMPSE OF HOW ALL THIS WORKS. IN FACT, TONIGHT, WE'RE STANDING IN FRONT OF ONE OF THOSE ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGERS. IT'S CURRENTLY ATTACHED TO A CITY BUS FROM RALEIGH GO. RALEIGH ACTUALLY PARTNER WITH A SIEMENS. TO GET ALL THIS TECHNOLOGY OFF OF THE BOTH GOVERNOR COOPER AND REPRESENTATIVE ROSS ARE SUPPORTERS OF THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW. IT WILL MAKE TECHNOLOGY LIKE THIS MORSE, A CIVIL ACROSS THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING RIGHT HERE AND WIND OUT. >> A BIG DAY IN THE SMALL TOWN OF WENDELL AS GOVERNOR ROY COOPER AND CONGRESSWOMAN DEBORAH ROSS TOWARD THE SIEMENS FACILITY. I'M EXCITED. >> WHEN I SEE CHARGING STATIONS BEING MADE HERE ON THE 4 SIEMENS. AND WE'RE GOING TO BE USING AS AND DEPLOYING THOSE ALL ACROSS NORTH CAROLINA WHERE WE PUT OUR CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE. AND SO THAT'S EXCITING. THAT MANUFACTURING HUB IS ACCELERATING ITS DEVELOPMENT OF ELECTRIC VEHICLE INFRASTRUCTURE. PARTNERING WITH GO RALEIGH TO HELP ELECTRIFY CITY BUS IS BY INSTALLING THESE CHARGERS. >> SIEMENS PRESIDENT AND CEO BARBARA HUTTON SAYS THE INVESTMENT IN EV IS TRANSFORMING THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE THAT CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE REALLY RELIES ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT MAKING THE INVESTMENTS THAT BRING CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE IN TO OUR COMMUNITIES. GOVERNOR COOPER SET A GOAL OF REGISTERING 80,000 EMISSIONS VEHICLES IN THE STATE. BUT YOU'RE 2025. >> CONGRESSWOMAN DEBORAH ROSS WHO REPRESENTS THE AREA WHERE THE SIEMENS HUB IS LOCATED. SO THE INVESTMENT REDUCES THE UNITED STATES DEPENDENCY ON FOREIGN OIL. AND IF WE'RE NOT RELIANT ON OTHER PEOPLE'S ENERGY, IF WE PRODUCE THINGS HERE, THEN WE'RE NOT GOING TO SEE THE SPIKES IN GAS PRICES IN THE FUTURE. THE TAR HEEL STATE CHARGING AHEAD WITH THE NEW TECHNOLOGY GLOBAL ELECTRIC AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURER. THEN FAST SELECTED CHATHAM COUNTY FOR THE SITE OF ITS MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR TV PLANT. AND TOYOTA PLANS TO BUILD A MORE THAN 1 BILLION DOLLAR BATTERY PLANT IN RANDOLPH COUNTY WITH GAS PRICES AS HIGH AS THEY ARE ARE ON PAYING 60. >> YOU KNOW, EVEN EVEN MORE EVEN WITH THE SMALL OF MY LIFE, I HAVE WINDOW RESIDENT DENVER ALL TIMES LIKES THE CONCEPT OF GOING ELECTRIC. I THINK THAT IT WILL BE A BIG SELLER IN THE FUTURE. AND SIMMONS SAYS IT ADDED ABOUT 100 JOBS IN THE PAST YEAR HERE AT THEIR WINDOW. HOV. THEY'RE HOPING TO ADD ABOUT 50 MORE. >> AS THE TECHNOLOGY IN DEVELOPMENT FOR ELECTRIC