The Multi-State ZEV Action Plan is the first promised milestone for the bi-coastal collaboration to pave the way for increasingly large numbers of the cleanest cars in the nation.
The partner states are California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and Vermont. Together they comprise about a quarter of the nation’s new car sales.
“Today, we’re putting a foot on the pedal to get more clean cars on the road,” said Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. “This is real action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
The governors of the 8 states began this latest collaboration with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on October 24, 2013. The ultimate goal is to reduce greenhouse gas and smog-causing emissions by transforming the transportation sector over the next 11 years. Since the MOU signing, state regulators, the auto industry and infrastructure developers and other stakeholders have shared information and best practices to help move this groundbreaking effort forward.
ZEVs include plug-in hybrids, battery electric and hydrogen-powered fuel cell electric vehicles. To date, manufacturers have rolled out more than 2 dozen models in these categories and they have developed a solid foothold in the automobile market. As of April 2014 there are nearly 200,000 nationwide. Sales have doubled over the past year alone, with more than half of those sales occurring in the MOU signatory states.
The 8-State ZEV Action Plan provides an overview of the current state of the market. It also provides an agenda to accelerate the development of that market.
At the heart of the plan are 11 Key Actions to be taken by all the partners, and the elements needed to successfully complete those actions.
The Key Actions cover three main areas:
Build the market
– Promote the availability and effective marketing of ZEVs
– Encourage private fleets to acquire ZEVs
– Promote planning and investment in ZEV infrastructure
– Increase the number of ZEVs in government vehicle fleets
Provide consistent codes, standards and tracking
– Remove barriers to charging station installation
– Provide clear and uniform signage
– Track and report progress toward the 3.3 million vehicle goal
Improve the experience
– Promote workplace charging
– Provide consumer incentives for the purchase of ZEVs
– Remove barriers to retail sale of electricity as vehicle fuel
– Promote access and compatibility for charging networks
The ZEV action plan also includes steps individual states may take, as well as examples of successful existing state programs to improve the experience of drivers and owners.
Affordable, readily available ultra-clean vehicles are critical to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lessen the impact of climate change, since the transportation sector is one of the nation’s major sources of greenhouse gases.
Creating a growing market for ZEVs also provides a range of economic benefits. Electricity is widely available, and costs less than gasoline or diesel on a per-mile basis. Maintenance costs for a ZEV are also lower over the life of the vehicle. The push for clean vehicles has also brought investment in new business and jobs which will help put our economy on a more sustainable footing.
The Multi-State ZEV Action Plan is available in pdf here.
