Brandon Boatwright, assistant professor of communications with Clemson University, plugs into the Southeast's complicated relationship with EVs, where environmental benefits get the cold shoulder while economic gains spark joy.

New research Boatwright conducted with a team of academics shows the South prefers its clean energy served with a side of autonomy rather than altruism. Marketers, take note: "save money" resonates more with Southerners than "save the planet."