In October of last year, the governors of Connecticut, California, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Vermont committed to working together to get more zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) on the road. Throughout the winter, a task force met with representatives from major auto manufacturers, trade associations, electricity companies, and public utilities.
A detailed Multi-State ZEV Action Plan was released in the spring, outlining eleven targeted actions aimed at achieving wide-spread use of ZEVs with a goal of 3.3 million on the road by 2025.
For the purpose of this program, ZEVs include pure battery electrics, plug-in hybrids, and up-and-coming fuel cell electrics. The Action Plan is modeling after California’s own Low-Emission Vehicle Program, which has been successful in recent years and helped clean the Golden State’s notorious urban air. Assuming consumer demand will increase as drivers become more familiar with ZEVs, the Action Plan’s goal is to have ZEVs make up 15% of all new vehicles sold by 2025, about 600,000 clean running cars.
The Multi-State ZEV Plan includes the following actions:
- Promote the availability and effective marketing of all plug-in electric vehicle models
- Provide consumer incentives to enhance the ZEV ownership experience
- Lead by example through increasing ZEVs in state, municipal, and other public fleets
- Encourage private fleets to purchase, lease, or rent ZEVs
- Promote workplace charging
- Promote ZEV infrastructure planning and investment by public & private entities
- Provide clear and accurate signage to direct ZEV users to charging and fueling stations and parking
- Remove barriers to ZEV charging and fueling station installations
- Promote access, compatibility, and interoperability of the plug-in electric vehicle charging network
- Remove barriers to the retail sale of electricity and hydrogen as transportation fuels and promote competitive plug-in electric vehicle charging rates
- Track and report progress toward meeting the goal of 3.3 million ZEVs on our roadways by 2025
Read more on the MultiStateZEVActionPlan here [PDF]
Posted by Tyler Archer, Outreach & Development Associate for CFE & Save the Sound
Cover Image: Fotolia/Petair