WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — The Warner Robins City Council is working to develop a larger charging network for electric cars.
We met with a woman in Houston County who owns an electric car to find out what the area needs.
Most of the people in Houston County that own an electric car have been charging theirs at home, but that could change soon.
Last summer, Amy Smith bought a brand new plug-in hybrid electric car.
"I love driving on the electric. It's so smooth. It's so powerful," Smith said.
She almost bought a fully-electric car, but people who them in Houston don't have many places to charge up.
"I'm afraid in south Georgia, I am going to get some place and I can't charge, and I can't get home," Smith said, so she bought her own at-home charging station.
Smith said, "Because there aren't any public charges. There are no convenient places to do it."
There are only seven public charging stations in and around Warner Robins. That's according to Warner Robins Post 1 Councilman Derek Mack.
"We have a lot of traffic that come by the city on the interstate. We want to be able to draw some of them in and we want to make it happen primarily for our constituents first, because a lot of them are interested in purchasing electronic, but there are not enough charging stations in the city to facilitate that," Mack said.
According to Forbes, the global sales of electric vehicles increased by 160 percent in the first half of last year.
Georgia Power says right now Georgia has more than 23,000 registered electronic vehicle driver. They also say Atlanta is the top-ranked city in the eastern United States for the number of public charging stations.
"Every community needs to invest in a charging network or space, because it's going to happen. It's the future," Smith said.
She also said she hopes to see these charging stations at places she frequently goes to, like the grocery store or a shopping center.
Right now, new Mayor LaRhonda Patrick says the city is looking for ways to fund it.
Last year, Governor Brian Kemp announced a $5 billion electric vehicle plant was coming to Georgia.