If you want a sampling of Alabama life, a great place to start is the Pepper Place Market.

It's this weekly farmers market in downtown Birmingham.

It's complete with a bluegrass band, bread pudding and lots of veggies.

On this particular Saturday morning, an electric vehicle car show.

I'm in the little smart electric car.

Shane Campbell's here with the Alabama Clean Fools Coalition and his bright orange two-seater

smart car.

Convertible, super fun to drive, it's basically a combination of a golf car and a go-cart.

Now you might not think of pairing EVs and Alabama, but the state's already a big player

when it comes to automobile manufacturing.

From Toyota to Mercedes, four major automakers have assembly plants here.

That's staggering.

We think about it.

This Alabama has become literally the new Detroit.

Now Detroit might be pushing it, but with the world transitioning to EVs, Southern states

are making their move to take the North's title as the place to make cars.

I want those jobs here, you know?

I want my friends and co-workers employed, so Alabama's full steam ahead on electric.

Yeah.

This is the integrated from Planet Buddy.

I'm Darren Woods.

You just said Stephen Fassaha from the Gulf states newsroom.

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