Florida plans to invest $8.6 million to strengthen its electric vehicle or EV infrastructure – part of $166 million worth of funds coming to the state from the Volkswagen (VW) Mitigation Trust Fund established in 2017 established between VW and the U.S. government to resolve claims that the automaker violated the Clean Air Act by knowingly selling diesel-powered vehicles that did not meet Environmental Protection Agency mobile source emission standards.
“This long-term investment in electric vehicle charging infrastructure is a win for our state on multiple levels,”noted Governor Ron DeSantis (R) in a statement. “Not only will these charging stations promote reduced emissions and better air quality, they will also improve mobility and safety for the ever-increasing number of Floridians that drive electric cars.”
“The addition of these electric vehicle charging stations will not only keep pace with the dramatic increase in the use of these vehicles, but also help to reduce emissions and improve mobility across Florida’s transportation system,” added Kevin Thibault, secretary of the Florida Department of Transportation.
That $8.6 million will go towards installing 74 additional direct current or DC “fast chargers” statewide. Combined with the chargers Florida DOT is currently installing along the Florida Turnpike, a total of 104 DC fast chargers will be installed along over 1,200 miles of highway, covering the most traveled corridors in the state – an approximately 50 percent statewide increase in publicly available DC charging stations.
The governor’s office added that a total of $25 million from Florida’s VW settlement funds has been set aside specifically to install EV charging stations and that approximately $16.4 million dollar remains to install more charging stations throughout the state.
Photo credit: Florida Department of Management Services
Governor Steve Sisolak (D) announced a new initiative in mid-June that crafts new regulations to spur the broader adoption of more low- and zero-emission electric-powered passenger cars and trucks across Nevada beginning in 2024.
[Above photo courtesy of the Nevada DOT]
“Transportation is the number one source of greenhouse gases in Nevada, and therefore a top priority for addressing climate change statewide,” explained Bradley Crowell, director of the Nevada department of conservation and natural resources, in a statement.
“To move Nevada’s climate future forward, we must reduce pollution from the cars and trucks we drive as well as modernize our urban planning efforts through transit-oriented development and electrification of our transportation infrastructure,” he added. “Establishing Clean Car Standards will help address the harmful impacts of climate change stemming from vehicle tailpipe pollution, while simultaneously advancing a stronger, more resilient economy for Nevada.”
The Nevada Department of Transportation is already playing a role in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across the state and will help with public outreach efforts in regards to the new Clean Car effort, noted Meg Ragonese, the agency’s public information officer.
“The Nevada Department of Transportation is partnering with the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and Nevada Governor’s Office of Energy in efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector,” she explained via email. “The Nevada DOT is also unveiling an internal working group to develop strategies and policies to reduce GHG emissions in our operations to meet state greenhouse gas reduction targets.”
The agency will also continue to develop further innovations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through its internal working group, Ragonese added.
The Nevada DOT is already working to promote cleaner transportation throughout the state through several other initiatives as well.
For example, in both Las Vegas and Reno, the agency and utility provider NV Energy hosted guest drives of various electric vehicle brands to provide state residents an opportunity to get behind the wheel to learn more about electric vehicle technology and how it could make their personal transportation more sustainable and environmentally friendly.
Nevada is also a part of the U.S. Climate Alliance and is therefore accelerating policies to reduce carbon and promote clean energy, with reducing transportation-related GHGs within the state a top priority. Consequently, the Nevada DOT said it is working closely with local government partners such as Washoe County to become one of the leading states pursuing a statewide Clean Cities designation through the U.S. Department of Energy.
Concurrently, the agency is part of the Nevada Electric Highway effort that seeks to link the state with utility and private partners to expand Nevada’s electric vehicle infrastructure at strategic locations along state highways. The Nevada DOT noted it is working to reduce “range anxiety” among motorists by establishing more re-charging stations to ensure electric and hybrid vehicles have enough power to safely reach their destinations.
Ultimately, the Nevada DOT said those efforts are part of a statewide push to keep Nevada “at the forefront” of national policy development and coordination to ensure that all emerging transportation technologies, including reduction of GHGs via vehicles, can be integrated effectively and to the best advantage of the state.
The Essential State Infrastructure law signed by Governor Ron DeSantis (R) on June 9 gives Florida DOT the central role in developing a “master plan” to encourage EV usage and to develop strategies to build more charging stations throughout the sunshine state. The law, which goes into effect on July 1, also calls on the agency to plan, design and build staging areas for public emergency provisions along the Florida Turnpike system.
The EV portion of the law mandates Florida DOT to collaborate with public and private stakeholders, come up with legislative recommendations, plus write and delivery its “master plan” to the governor and legislature by July 1, 2021.
Photos courtesy Florida DOT
The agency will also work closely with several state agencies – including the Public Service Commission, Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services as well as power companies and other stakeholders – to establish that EV infrastructure, noted Beth Frady, Florida DOT’s communications director.
The impetus behind the bipartisan legislation is the impact of fossil fuel emissions on Florida’s air quality. According to the new law, “a significant portion of the carbon dioxide emissions in this state are produced by the transportation sector. Electric vehicles can help reduce these emissions, thereby helping to reduce the impact of climate change on this state.”
Susan Glickman, Florida director of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, applauded the new law, calling it part of “the evolution in transportation, as it’s been recognized that fossil fuels drive emissions.”
She added that “this is a big step forward in putting in place the kind of charging infrastructure that will give people confidence that buying an EV is doable.”
Florida DOT statistics show there are approximately 60,000 all-electric battery electric vehicles, or BEVs, and another 60,000 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) registered in Florida. Even though that makes Florida one of the top five states in the number of EVs registered, EVs still comprise less than 1 percent of all vehicles registered in the state.
Although EV sales are increasing nationally as consumers look for cleaner transportation, a dearth of public charging stations has been a stumbling block for manufacturers to reach beyond drivers who rarely venture far from their home-based chargers. The expense and relative low retune on investment of the charging stations have driven some states to cobble together coalitions of utility companies, non-profit groups, government agencies, manufacturers and consumers to recommend rebate programs, cost-sharing partnerships and grant programs for infrastructure development.
Florida DOT’s Frady said the agency already had been “studying and analyzing” EV infrastructure issues before Gov. DeSantis signed the Essential State Infrastructure law – working on a plan to add new units to existing charging stations and to add new stations at service plazas along the Florida Turnpike toll road system. The new law, however, will now expand EV infrastructure planning to the non-tolled portions of the state highway system.
One main component of the Essential State Infrastructure law directs FDOT to develop staging areas along the Florida Turnpike system for “staging supplies for prompt provision of assistance to the public in a declared state of emergency.” The law says the staging areas will be used for storing emergency supplies, such as water, fuel, generators, vehicles and equipment to aid in evacuations, emergency response and restoration of services. Those “staging areas” could also could be used during nonemergency times for commercial motor vehicle parking or other uses.
In choosing them, though, the new law said Florida DOT must give “priority consideration” to rural counties in the Multiuse Corridor of Regional Economic Significance program, a state effort to stimulate the economies of counties of less than 200,000 population.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy (D) has set forth an aggressive goal of achieving 100 percent clean energy by 2050 for the state – and the New Jersey Department of Transportation will play a key role in helping attain that goal.
The agency is part of a broad statewide transportation electrification effort in line with the Rejoining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative or RGGI; a multi-state, market-based program that establishes a regional cap on carbon dioxide or CO2 emissions.
In mid-April, the governor announced that RGGI auction proceeds will provide $80 million each year to programs that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, with a new, more all-inclusive Energy Master Plan outlining several state investment strategies that aim to electrify New Jersey’s transportation sector.
Along with the Master Plan, the RGGI Strategic Funding Plan details how to move toward the goal of a greener transportation system. New Jersey’s plan for its RGGI revenue is designed to support legislation signed in January that calls for the state to have 330,000 registered electric vehicles or EVs by 2025 and 2 million by 2040. It also plans for 400 fast charging stations at 200 locations along major highways and communities by 2025.
To that end, the New Jersey DOT and several other state agencies – NJ TRANSIT, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, the Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of Community Affairs, the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, and the Economic Development Authority – will work together within their respective areas to achieve the RGGI’s strategic goals.
The specific strategies laid out for the New Jersey DOT within the plan include:
Promoting the use of the Logo Sign Program and Tourist-Oriented Directional Signing or “LOGOS” program to display the locations of EV charging stations on blue state highway exit signs. The state will also work collaboratively with local governments on transportation planning and land use/housing planning that will enable multi-modal transportation and EV-ready infrastructure.
Working to prioritize multi-modal accommodations in projects located in low- and moderate-income and environmental justice communities to promote more pedestrian and bicycle traffic as those two modes are part of the RGGI’s emission reduction strategies.
Looking at re-evaluating “Level of Service” metrics that measure the quality of transportation services and traffic flow and develop plans to mitigate congestion and reduce idling time for vehicles.
Working with local governments to promote implementation of “Complete Streets” policies in municipalities, possibly with additional grants and incentives. As part of these efforts, the New Jersey DOT and NJ TRANSIT will continue to lead a multi-agency “Smart Growth” program called the Transit Village Initiative, which helps municipalities redevelop or revitalize their downtowns into dense communities within a half-mile of transit centers.
Deploying Transportation Systems Management & Operations or TSMO strategies to relieve road congestion through signal optimization technology; an effort funded via the federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality program to make traffic patterns more efficient and further reduce idling.
Yet even as New Jersey begins moving towards electrifying its transportation sector, the unintended consequences of funding shortages must also be considered.
The draft fiscal year 2020 New Jersey Transportation Capital Program, which funds both the New Jersey DOT and NJ TRANSIT for a total of $3.679 billion, depends on motor fuels tax revenues for funding – already significantly reduced due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. As New Jersey encourages use of electric-powered vehicles, the state is also considering a replacement for lost fuel tax revenue and is participating in the I-95 Coalition Mileage Based User Fee study to see how such fees would affect different communities and how they would be collected.
Colorado is embarking on an ambitious program to have 940,000 electric vehicles (EVs) registered by 2030, and the Colorado Department of Transportation is tasked with helping to lead the charge within the department and throughout the state.
The Colorado Electric Vehicle Plan 2020 also looks beyond 2030, setting a “long-term goal of 100 percent of light-duty vehicles being electric and 100% of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles being zero emission.” The plan taps Colorado DOT as one of the main players to develop the state’s strategy of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by replacing internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles with EVs.
According to Sophie Shulman, the agency’s chief of innovative mobility, the Colorado DOT’s role in the state’s EV plan is two-fold. First, it must begin replacing its current fleet of ICE vehicles to zero emission vehicles (ZEV) whenever practical. The second – and bigger – task for the department is to work on several fronts to increase ZEV use among private, commercial, and transit entities and to support further growth of the state’s EV charging infrastructure.
The plan’s goals “complement and build upon our existing work in the field of vehicle electrification, such as our management of transit electrification grants, our planning coordination through the public-private Freight Advisory Council and our support of charging infrastructure and vehicle grant programs,” Shulman said.
While Colorado’s 28,722 EVs on the road represent a 25 percent increase from August 2019, the state will have to consistently post a 40 percent annual increase to hit the 940,000 EV mark by 2030. In addition, the Colorado DOT and other agencies have until 2021 to “establish timelines, identify strategies and dedicate sufficient resources” to convert the entire state transit fleet to an all-ZEV fleet by 2050, with at least 1,000 ZEV transit vehicles on the road by 2030.
An added challenge is that the electrification of medium-duty and heavy-duty vehicles, which make up the vast majority of transit vehicles, has lagged behind the development of passenger EVs for a host of reasons, including battery issues, range problems and cost barriers.
However, a recent report from Atlas Public Policy determined that purchasing such EV vehicles can be cost-effective if low-cost charging and vehicle incentives remain in play.
Developing strategies and plans for EV infrastructure and purchasing incentives also are on Colorado DOT’s to-do list as well, noted Shulman. She explained that the agency has “a long history” of supporting EV incentive programs and charging projects, including the agency’s work on REV West, a multi-state effort to build an EV charging network through the Intermountain West states. The EV plans are “ambitious and will push us further than ever before,” Shulman added. “We are excited by this challenge and eager to partner with industry, state, and local agencies and Coloradans to make the plan’s vision a reality.”
Washington state has zipped beyond its goal of having 50,000 plug-in electric vehicles (EVs) registered by 2020, thanks in part to the Washington State Department of Transportation, which plays a leading role in developing EV infrastructure and encouraging EV ownership.
By the end of 2019, drivers in Washington had registered 53,307 plug-in EVs, representing a 24 percent year-to-year increase and a 222 percent increase in just four years. The number of publicly available charging ports also has increased since 2015, from 949 to nearly 3,000 at the end of 2019, according to the WSDOT Gray Notebook.
WSDOT was an early advocate of EVs and developed “the first and most robust highway corridor in the nation in 2012 for electric vehicle charging,” explained Tonia Buell, the agency’s project development manager.
Photo courtesy WSDOT
More recently, the department created the Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Partnerships Program or “ZEVIPP” for short, which provides about $1 million a year in grants to non-profit organizations, government entities, transit agencies and tribes to build charging locations near highways exits along major routes in Washington. Grant recipients must have public and private-sector partners, and because the grant covers only part of the project cost, the partners usually provide the remaining financing, Buell said.
Funding for ZEVIPP comes from a $75 annual state registration fee for plug-in electric and hybrid vehicles. Part of that fee also supports sales tax incentives to grow EV ownership, which makes building charging infrastructure a better investment for private companies. The parallel funding to promote EV ownership and EV infrastructure development is critical because each element relies on the other, she noted.
“People want to know they’re able to charge their vehicle whenever they need it, so to have that growth in EV ownership, you have to develop the charging infrastructure,” Buell emphasized.
WSDOT practices what it preaches, having replaced 23 percent of its gas and diesel passenger vehicles with EVs. Washington Governor Jay Inslee (D) has taken it a step further, ordering all state agencies to purchase EVs instead of internal combustion engine vehicles if the EV option is available.
Having top-level buy-in and leadership is “a very critical component to making this work” for any state DOT that wants to develop a strong EV program, Buell explained. Governments will have to make an investment in promoting EV ownership and developing the infrastructure, at least until EVs become more ubiquitous. “I think the tipping point will be when EVs are around 15 percent of all vehicles; right now, we’re at about 1 percent,” she said. “That’s going to happen when the purchase price of the EVs is equivalent to internal combustion engine vehicles, and we won’t need the purchase incentives.”
To increase recreational use on public lands, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed on April 2 a new set of regulations governing the use of electric bicycles or e-bikes within the National Wildlife Refuge System – a move that supports two directives issued by the U.S. Department of the Interior, the Secretary’s Order 3366 to increase recreational opportunities on public lands and Secretary’s Order 3376 directing Department of the Interior bureaus to obtain public input on e-bike use.
The proposed rule also closely follows e-bike policy established by Director’s Order 222 in October 2019 that allows refuge managers to consider the use of e-bikes on any refuge roads and trails where traditional bicycle use is allowed, provided it is consistent with a refuge’s statutory purpose and the refuge manager determines it to be a compatible use.
The agency noted in a statement that the proposed rule defines permitted e-bikes as ‘two- or three-wheeled vehicles with fully operable pedals and a small electric motor of one horsepower or less.”
However, neither traditional bicycles nor e-bikes are allowed in designated wilderness areas and may not be appropriate for back-country trails, USFW added – noting that the focus of this guidance is on expanding the traditional bicycling experience to those who enjoy the reduction of effort provided by this new technology.
The USFW added that a majority of states – listed here – have adopted e-bike policies, with most following model legislation that allows for three classes of e-bikes to have access to bicycle trails.
As transportation-fueled greenhouse gas emission concerns rise across the country, wholesale deployment of electric vehicles (EVs) still faces roadblocks as advocates try to develop an expensive infrastructure to support EVs that most people won’t buy.
Only one-third of U.S. adults said they would buy or lease an all-electric car, with the majority citing the scarcity of public charging stations and the EV’s high purchase price, according to a report from Morning Consult. EV purchases are rising, but they comprise only 2 percent of all light-duty vehicles.
“The barriers to buying EVs and building out EV infrastructure are closely connected,” said Tim Sexton, assistant commissioner, and chief sustainability officer for the Minnesota Department of Transportation. Most EV owners charge at home or at work, which makes it “difficult for private charging companies to be profitable until the EV market share grows,” he added.
Photo courtesy Oregon DOT
According to the U.S Department of Energy (DOE), the country currently has nearly 25,000 public charging stations. DOE’s interactive map tool shows where the stations are, what kind of station (Level 1, Level 2, or DC Fast Charging) is at each location, and can plot an optimal EV route for nearby charging stations. The center also keeps track of how many charging stations are in each state.
However, consumer “range anxiety,” a lack of public awareness of EV purchasing and ownership benefits, plus a complex labyrinth of infrastructure financing have prompted some states to seek a regional approach to electrifying the highways.
To address those issues, three coalitions of states – one on each coast and one in the west – are developing model EV policies, creating consumer awareness campaigns, and building partnerships with businesses, utilities, local governments and public interest groups. It is slow going, but they are starting to show some results.
The Transportation and Climate Initiative is one coalition that includes transportation, environmental and energy officials from states in the Northeastern Association of State Transportation Officials, plus Virginia. One of the group’s goals is to enable drivers “to drive their plug-in cars and trucks from northern New England to D.C. and anywhere in between.” TCI aims to finalize a new multi-state memorandum of understanding in the coming months.
Washington, Oregon, and California are installing hundreds of new EV charging stations in part due to their membership in the West Coast Electric Highway initiative. Those three states are now home to more than 8,800 charging stations – more than a third of all such EV stations in the entire country.
Finally, there is the Regional Electric Vehicle or REV West coalition of eight states – Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming – which aims to enable anyone to “seamlessly drive an electric vehicle across the Signatory States’ major transportation corridors.”
Even small progress on building out an EV infrastructure will encourage people to switch to electric vehicles, Minnesota DOT’s Sexton said. “Public EV chargers are critical for long-distance travel, and it helps normalize EVs,” he explained. “The more chargers people see, the more ‘normal’ the idea of driving an EV becomes.”
