Contact: Noah Barnes, Electrification Coalition
noah@electrification.org, (202) 461-2371
WASHINGTON—The Electrification Coalition is excited to announce the release of Electrifying Transportation in Municipalities—a resource with actions that city leaders can use to accelerate the transition to electric transportation, create well-paying jobs, improve public health, reduce fuel and maintenance costs and contribute to American national and economic security.
Municipal leaders have a unique opportunity to lead the transition to electric vehicles (EVs). Using dozens of case studies from cities at the forefront of electrification policy, this resource demonstrates how cities can advance EV adoption by increasing access to charging, reducing costs, electrifying municipal fleets and more.
“As we face some new headwinds for transportation electrification, we need to do a better job to help policymakers and communities understand the broader benefits of electrification,” said Ben Prochazka, executive director of the Electrification Coalition. “For cities, electrification can bring lower costs for consumers and fleets, protect public health and protect against the volatility of gas prices and supply. Combined, the efforts of cities will help accelerate the U.S. market and ensure the U.S. automotive sector is competitive in a global race, while harnessing the diverse and domestic electric grid to power our transportation future. We want American cities and their residents to have the choice to drive electric.”
The guide highlights efforts that cities like Atlanta, Madison and Saint Paul have taken to electrify transportation in their regions.
“Through commonsense policies like EV readiness ordinances, workforce development programs, guidelines for fire safety and equitable access to charging stations, our fleet electrification plan guides investments in metro Atlanta and accelerates electrification for the benefit of residents across metro Atlanta,” said Chandra Farley, chief sustainability officer for the City of Atlanta.
“As we work to meet our goal of 100% renewable energy and net-zero emissions, electric vehicles of all types will play a key role in our municipal fleet, including the first electric fire engine in service in North America,” said Satya Rhodes-Conway, mayor of Madison, Wis. “By being at the forefront of clean energy innovation, we hope to show that communities can still provide critical services while also protecting our environment.”
“Our Evie all-electric car-sharing service has added a new, low-cost and zero-emission transportation option for Twin Cities residents while improving local air quality,” said Russ Stark, chief resilience officer for the City of Saint Paul, Minn. “Evie Carshare sits at the intersection of local action on climate and meeting the mobility needs of our residents. We would love to see other communities make similar programs available to their residents.”
Electrifying Transportation in Municipalities covers charging infrastructure planning, medium- and heavy-duty fleet transition strategies, funding the electrification transition, tips to streamline onerous permitting processes, and much more.
“The Electrification Coalition has spent more than a decade supporting cities in their EV policy and implementation efforts,” said Prochazka. “We launched our first EV deployment community in 2013 in Fort Collins, Colo., before expanding to work in Orlando and Rochester, N.Y., and later leading engagement with 78 cities, including the winner of the Smart City Challenge, Columbus, Ohio. The EC has always been at the leading edge of innovation, and this guide hopes to not only leverage the EC’s long history but also the leadership that numerous cities have already demonstrated.”
To view the resource, visit https://electrificationcoalition.org/electrifying-municipalities/.
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About the Electrification Coalition: The Electrification Coalition is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that promotes policies and actions to facilitate the widespread adoption of plug-in electric vehicles (EVs) on a mass scale to overcome the economic, public health and national security challenges that stem from America’s dependence on oil. ElectrificationCoalition.org