March 21, 2012

Consumers could find the Nissan Leaf and other EVs more accessible under a plan proposed by the PEV Dialogue Group. Credit: Nissan

A coalition of automakers, electric utilities, environmental groups, state officials, and DOE on March 13 outlined joint recommendations for accelerating the adoption of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) nationwide. The PEV Dialogue Group, convened last year by the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES), presented its recommendations at a Washington, D.C. event.

The group’s report, An Action Plan to Integrate Plug-in Electric Vehicles with the U.S. Electrical Grid, provides a roadmap for coordinated public and private sector action to ensure that PEV owners can conveniently plug in their cars without overtaxing the grid. It recommends steps to ensure compatible regulatory approaches nationwide, balance public and private investments in charging infrastructure, and better inform consumers about PEVs. Over the coming months, C2ES will support DOE-funded Clean Cities coalitions working in dozens of communities across the country to develop local PEV deployment plans.

C2ES will work with the PEV Dialogue Group and others to promote implementation of its plan. Nearly 18,000 PEVs were sold in the United States last year; over the next year or two, all of the major automakers plan to have models on the road. Some PEVs such as the Nissan Leaf rely entirely on battery power, while the Chevy Volt and others have backup engines to extend their driving ranges. Broad deployment of PEVs, which use little or no gasoline, can significantly reduce U.S. reliance on imported oil and curb harmful tailpipe emissions. See the C2ES press release.

Filed under: Available Electric Vehicles, News | Comments Off on Coalition Offers Plan to Accelerate Adoption of Plug-In Electric Vehicles