On June 20, the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy and EVHybridNoire joined Southeast Raleigh Promise (SERP) and Partners for Environmental Justice (PEJ) at the Southeast Raleigh YMCA on the Beacon Site campus for a Juneteenth celebration focused on community, culture, wellness, and empowerment. The event brought together residents for a day of food, fitness, education, entertainment, health resources, and fellowship. Throughout the event, project staff shared information about electric vehicles, discussed the benefits of transportation electrification, and recruited participants for a community survey on electric vehicles and transportation needs.
The Juneteenth celebration showcased the power of community partnerships and provided an opportunity to connect directly with residents, share information about clean transportation, and better understand residents’ perspectives on the opportunities and challenges of the clean energy transition.
Electric Futures Raleigh
Last year, the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE) and EVHybridNoire (EVHN), with support from the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, launched Electric Futures Raleigh, a two-year initiative to advance clean transportation and electric mobility in Raleigh. The project is designed to ensure that community voices help shape the future of transportation by engaging residents, local leaders, and community-based organizations in developing a community-centered electric mobility strategy.
SACE and EVHybridNoire partnered with SERP and PEJ to ensure meaningful community engagement. Both organizations bring deep roots in the community and more than a decade of experience working alongside Raleigh residents. Their leadership and trusted relationships are helping ensure that community voices remain at the center of project planning and implementation.
Southeast Raleigh Promise has long served as a catalyst for community investment and opportunity in Southeast Raleigh. As part of the national Purpose Built Communities network, SERP works to create thriving neighborhoods through investments in housing, education, wellness, and economic opportunity. The State Employees’ Credit Union Beacon Site campus, which opened in 2019, represents a shared vision between SERP, the YMCA of the Triangle, and the Southeast Raleigh community. The 32-acre campus along Rock Quarry Road brings together affordable housing, education, wellness services, and community resources in one connected space. The campus also has on-site level 2 EV charging stations.
Through Electric Futures Raleigh, SACE and EVHybridNoire are conducting community-based participatory research, including surveys and focus groups, to better understand residents’ perspectives on electric vehicles (EVs), charging infrastructure, workforce opportunities, and transportation needs. The findings will help inform the City of Raleigh’s transportation electrification efforts while ensuring that future investments align with community priorities. In addition, the project team will host town halls and community engagement events to identify barriers, opportunities, and solutions that empower residents to participate in and benefit from the transition to electric transportation.
Shaping Raleigh’s Electric Transportation Future
The initiative supports the City of Raleigh’s climate goals, including its target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050. Transportation currently accounts for approximately 52% of the city’s emissions, making transportation electrification a critical component of Raleigh’s sustainability strategy. Electric Futures Raleigh seeks to identify community-driven mobility solutions, expand access to EV workforce development opportunities, and support the deployment of clean transportation technologies in ways that benefit all residents.
Raleigh is uniquely positioned to lead in the clean energy transition. North Carolina ranks ninth nationally in clean energy employment, and the Research Triangle region — Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill — is home to one of the world’s leading cleantech hubs, with nearly 2,000 clean technology companies. The region is also benefiting from major investments in the EV supply chain, including Toyota’s first North American battery manufacturing facility in nearby Randolph County. The $13.9 billion investment is expected to create more than 5,000 jobs and further strengthen North Carolina’s role in the growing electric vehicle economy. These factors make Raleigh an ideal community for exploring how residents can participate in and benefit from the transition to clean transportation.
As Electric Futures Raleigh continues, SACE, EVHybridNoire, and project partners remain committed to ensuring that residents have a meaningful role in shaping Raleigh’s electric transportation future. Through surveys, focus groups, town halls, and community events, the initiative is helping build a roadmap for accessible electric mobility that reflects community priorities, expands economic opportunities, and supports Raleigh’s long-term climate goals.
