Policy Materials
Below is a short list of relevant initiatives and policies that Vermont is a part of. The list below is not exhaustive, but it does provide a snapshot of some policy areas that have Drive Electric involvement. For questions or more information contact Drive Electric Vermont.
What are other states and regions working on?
Northeast States Transportation Climate Initiative
Through the Northeast Electric Vehicle Network, northeastern states are laying the groundwork for the region to lead the way in the deployment of electric vehicles (EVs), capturing the many economic, jobs, and environmental benefits associated with EVs. Participating states are also engaging in important planning work to remove barriers to the widespread adoption of EVs and ensure that public charging stations are placed in strategic locations that both maximize usage and facilitate interstate travel.
States will continue to develop the partnerships needed in both the public and private sector to build a robust network of charging stations throughout the region.
The Network was launched in 2011 as a project of the Transportation and Climate Initiative, and includes the following jurisdictions: Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and communities in Maine.
Who's Involved
More than 540 charging stations are publicly available in the region, and more than 70 companies have pledged to work with northeastern states to support the deployment of EVs.
Electric Vehicles in U.S. Policy
Federal Support for EVs and Transportation
Reducing dependence on foreign oil, promoting domestic renewable energy development, and growing the U.S. manufacturing sector and green jobs have all been key focal points of federal policy for many years. Recognizing that boosting electric vehicle sales in the U.S. is a clear means of furthering all of these objectives, a host of federal programs and initiatives are supporting electric vehicle technologies.
Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the federal government laid the groundwork for a transportation technology revolution, committing $2.4 Billion starting in 2009 towards advancing battery and electric drive technologies to prepare U.S. auto manufacturers to lead in global markets for electric vehicles. This was followed by U.S. Department of Energy’s EV Everywhere Grand Challenge initiative launched in March 2012 which laid out a plan for achieving the goal of producing EVs in ten years that are as affordable as conventional gasoline powered vehicles are today.
Federal support for auto manufacturers in financing electric vehicle technology related R&D has also been coupled with the EPA’s new standards requiring that the average fuel efficiency of all vehicles on the road in the U.S. by 2025 must be 54.5 miles per gallon. These aggressive fuel economy requirements and other emission regulations are expected to prompt auto manufacturers to integrate more EVs in their production portfolios.
From the demand side, federal tax incentives for electric vehicles are available and a wide variety of online tools have been developed by the US Department of Energy to help communities and consumers make informed decisions about electric vehicle purchases and charging infrastructure investments.
Who's Involved
The US Department of Energy has compiled a list of benefits of using electricity as a vehicle fuel.