OBAMA ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCES NEW ACTIONS TO ACCELERATE THE DEPLOYMENT OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE
buzzz worthy. . .
The Obama Administration is committed to taking responsible steps to combat climate change, increase access to clean energy technologies, and reduce our dependence on oil. Already, in the past eight years the number of plug-in electric vehicle models has increased from one to more than 20, battery costs have decreased 70 percent, and we have increased the number of electric vehicle charging stations from less than 500 in 2008 to more than 16,000 today – a 40 fold increase. But there is more work to do. That is why, today, the Administration is announcing key steps forward to accelerate the utilization of electric vehicles and the charging infrastructure needed to support them.
Today’s Actions include the Designation of 48 National Electric Vehicle Charging
Corridors on our Highways
By working together across the Federal government and with the private sector, we can ensure that electric vehicle drivers have access to charging stations at home, at work, and on the road – creating a new way of thinking about transportation that will drive America forward. Today’s announcements demonstrate a continued partnership between the Administration, states, localities, and the private sector to achieve these shared goals:
· For the first time, the United State Department of Transportation (DOT) is establishing 48 national electric vehicle charging corridors on our highways, these newly designated electric vehicle routes cover nearly 25,000 miles, in 35 states.
· 28 states, utilities, vehicle manufactures, and change organizations are committing to accelerate the deployment of electric vehicle charging infrastructure on the DOT’s corridors;
· 24 state and local governments are committing to partner with the Administration and increase the procurement of electric vehicles in their fleets;
· The United States Department of Energy (DOE) is conducting two studies to evaluate the optimal national electric vehicle charging deployment scenarios, including along DOT’s designated fueling corridors; and
· 38 new businesses, non-profits, universities, and utilities are signing on to DOE’s Workplace Charging Challenge and committing to provide EV charging access for their workforce.
Today’s announcements build on a record of progress from multiple programs across the Administration that work to scale up EVs and fueling infrastructure, including at the Departments of Energy, Transportation, Defense, the Environmental Protection Agency and with the private sector. This summer, the Administration opened up to $4.5 billion in loan guarantees to support the commercial-scale deployment of innovative electric vehicle charging facilities and in collaboration with the Administration, nearly 50 industry members signed on to the Guiding Principles to Promote Electric Vehicles and Charging Infrastructure. This effort launched the beginning of a collaboration between the government and industry to increase the deployment of EV charging infrastructure that is carried forward in the announcements today.
ADVANCING THE DEPLOYMENT OF ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE ALONG OUR HIGHWAYS
Establishing 48 National Electric Vehicle Charging Corridors on our Highways: The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) today announced 55 Interstates that will serve as the basis for a national network of “alternative fuel” corridors spanning 35 states plus the District of Columbia. Today’s announcement includes designating 48 out of the 55 routes electric vehicle charging corridors, totaling almost 25,000 miles of electric vehicle routes in 35 states. To make it easier for drivers to identify and locate charging stations, states designated as “sign-ready” are authorized to use signs developed by FHWA that identify electric vehicle charging stations and other alternative fuels along the highways similar to existing signage that alerts drivers to gas stations, food, and lodging. Drivers can expect either existing or planned charging stations within every 50 miles.
28 States, Utilities, Vehicle Manufactures, and Change Organizations Commit to Accelerate Electric Vehicle Deployment on DOT’s Corridors: Today, the following organizations are committing to help accelerate the deployment of electric vehicle charging infrastructure along the Alternative Fuel Corridors designated by the U.S. Department of Transportation. These initial and future corridors will serve as a basis for a national network of electric vehicle charging infrastructure to enable coast to coast zero emission mobility on our nation’s highways:
· Ameren Missouri
· Berkshire Hathaway Energy
· BMW
· ChargePoint
· Connecticut Green Bank
· Edison Electric Institute
· Electric Drive Transportation Association
· EV Connect
· Eversource Energy
· EVgo
· General Electric
· General Motors
· Greenlots
· Kansas City Power & Light
· MidAmerican Energy Company
· New York State
· Nissan
· NV Energy
· Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)
· Pacific Power
· PlugShare
· Portland General Electric
· Public Service Company of New Mexico
· Rocky Mountain Power
· Skychargers
· Southern California Edison
· Texas-New Mexico Power
· Vision Ridge Partners
Conducting Two Studies to Evaluate the Optimal National EV Charging Deployment Scenarios: Early next year, DOE plans to publish two studies developed with national laboratories and with input from a range of stakeholders to support broad EV charging infrastructure deployment, including along DOT’s alternative fuel corridors. The first is a national EV infrastructure analysis that identifies the optimal number of charging stations for different EV market penetration scenarios. The second will provide best practices for EV fast charging installation, including system specifications as well as siting, power availability, and capital and maintenance cost considerations.
Continuing to Partner with Stakeholders to Build Charging Infrastructure Along the National Charging Corridors: The White House will be convening key stakeholders in November 2016 to continue to encourage state and local governments and businesses to build public electric vehicle charging infrastructure along our national highways.
SUPPORTING STATE AND LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS TO INCREASE THE ELECTRIC VEHICLES ON THE ROAD
Partnering with 24 State and Local Governments to Electrify our Vehicle Fleets: Building on the Administration’s policy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from Federal Fleets by 30 percent by 2025, today, we are announcing twenty-four state and local governments have joined the Federal government to electrify our fleets. These new commitments will account for over 2,500 new electric vehicles in 2017 alone, and help pave a path for a sustained level of purchases into the future. By working together, Federal, state and local leadership can aggregate demand to lower purchase costs through increasing automotive manufactures’ demand certainty, promote electric vehicle innovation and adoption and expand our national electric vehicle infrastructure. The cumulative benefit of the commitments announced today include more than one million dollars and 1,211,650 gallons in potential annual fuel savings. These state and local government commitments include:
States
· California state agencies strive to cut greenhouse gas emissions and since 2010, GHG emissions from state operations have been cut in half. Incorporating zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) into the state fleet is a central component of the state’s sustainability strategy. Fulfilling a commitment made by Governor Brown in 2012, more than 10 percent of non-public safety light duty vehicles purchased by the State of California in fiscal years 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 were zero-emission vehicles. In support of the 2016 ZEV Action Plan, the state commits to increasing the number of non-public safety light duty ZEVs to 50 percent by 2025. To reach that goal, the state will target yearly step increases of 5 percent (beginning in fiscal year 2017/2018), over its current 10 percent purchasing commitment.
Ø For 2017, the State of California commits to purchase a minimum of 150 ZEVs for its fleet, bringing the total to over 600 ZEVs in the state fleet.
Ø California commits to providing electric vehicle charging at a minimum of 5 percent of state owned parking spaces by 2020.
· Minnesota has developed a fleet action plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that involves transitioning the state’s predominately internal combustion engine light fleet to a fleet integrating hybrid electric vehicles; plug-in electric hybrid vehicles; and zero emission vehicles. This plan will decrease petroleum consumption by 25 percent and result in a decrease in GHG emissions of 21 percent. Cost savings for fuel and maintenance is expected to be $2.5 million annually. Minnesota has set its commitment as follows:
Ø Acquire 25 PHEV/ZEVs in Fiscal Year 2017.
Ø Install 15 Level 2 charging stations in Fiscal Year 2017.
Ø Require all new vehicles have EPA ratings of 7 or higher.
Ø Achieve a fleet composition of 20 PHEV or ZEV by 2027.
· Montana’s State Energy Office commits to swapping out two hybrid vehicles for two plug-in hybrid electric vehicles in 2017. These vehicles will be the first plug-in electric vehicles in Montana’s state fleet and will help Montana better understand how electric vehicles can be incorporated into the fleet as well as the charging infrastructure necessary to support these vehicles. Montana commits to reaching out to local governments and universities about opportunities for electrification from the VW settlement allocation.
· Rhode Island commits to purchasing 25 percent of new light-duty state vehicles as electric by 2025.
· Vermont commits to convert 50 percent of its state motor pool to plug-in electric vehicles by the end of 2017 which far exceeds the previous level of 38 percent. Vermont is also committing to purchase 10 percent of the total State’s centralized light duty fleet, including agency and department assigned vehicles, as plug-in electric by the end of 2017 which far exceeds the 7 percent accomplished this year. And to install one dedicated charging port for each of these vehicles at the locations where they are parked and assigned to employees for state trips.
· Washington is committed to reducing carbon pollution from the transportation sector and deployment of electric vehicles is a critical element of the governor’s climate strategy. Last December, Governor Inslee announced a new Washington State Electric Fleets Initiative to accelerate adoption of electric vehicles in public and private fleets. This initiative will ensure that at least 20 percent of all new annual state passenger vehicle purchases are EVs, beginning in 2017.
o In 2017, Washington State’s cabinet agencies commit to purchasing 250 EVs and installing 125 new level 2 charging stations.
Cities
· The City of Atlanta has reduced GHG emissions 12.5 percent and fossil fuels by 23 percent since 2008. The City commits to further reducing GHG emissions 40 percent by 2030 through the continued addition of zero emission vehicles and electric infrastructure. The City is encouraging public adoption of electric vehicles and is installing charging stations in 100 dedicated EV parking spaces at the Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport by the end of 2016. The City commits to convert 20 percent of its municipal fleet to electric vehicles by 2020 through commitments to:
Ø Construct an additional 300 charging stations at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport by the end of 2017.
Ø Spend $3,000 dollars per electric vehicle for infrastructure installation through December 2018.
Ø Conduct an education campaign for City employees about efficient usage of electric vehicles and charging stations.
· Columbus, Ohio has long served as a committed pioneer of alternative fuel fleet vehicle adoption. Columbus was selected as the winner of the Smart Cities Challenge grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation in June 2016. Initiatives under the program include fleet electrification, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, smart lighting and traffic signals, self-driving technology, connected vehicles, transportation apps and other initiatives to modernize Columbus’ transportation system. Columbus commits to,
Ø Procure 200 electric vehicles for its fleets and install the appropriate charging infrastructure over the next three years.
Ø Add 1,600 new Level 1 and 300 new Level 2 charging stations in the region.
Ø Add 448 electric vehicles to city’s private fleets.
· The City of Fort Collins is deeply committed to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and improving residents’ lives through the efficiencies and savings produced by these efforts. The City organization is trying to lead by example in its fleet composition and purchasing guidelines and taking strategic actions to reduce its transportation GHG footprint by purchasing electric and hybrid vehicles.
Ø In 2017, the City of Fort Collins commits to purchase seven new electric vehicles, some of which will replace standard gasoline engine vehicles.
Ø Fort Collins will continue to provide an electric charging station for each electric vehicle in the fleet in 2017.
· The City of Denver is proud to join the White House in making an ambitious commitment to incorporate plug-in electric vehicles into our operations. Denver is leading by example, with the city taking a prominent role in transitioning its operations to more sustainable fuel sources. This action will not only move Denver towards its2020 sustainability goals and reduce costs, but inspire other businesses, cities and residents to consider how plug-in electric vehicles could work for them. Denver commits to procure and operationalize 200 Plug-in Electric Vehicles and required infrastructure by 2020.
· The City of Detroit is committed to modernizing its overall fleet through the use of cleaner transportation technologies. This commitment is reflected in part by new efforts to increase the percentage of city service vehicles that are electric, develop new charging infrastructure, and join the U.S. Department of Energy’s Workplace Charging Challenge. These activities are in-line with the City's broader sustainable transportation efforts.
