Contact: Noah Barnes, Electrification Coalition
nbarnes@electrificationcoalition.org, (202) 461-2371
RALEIGH—On Tuesday, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper gave keynote remarks at the Electrification Coalition’s Medium- and Heavy-Duty (MHD) State Policy Bootcamp and Showcase. The event, which took place at the McKimmon Center at NC State in Raleigh, featured panels on the wide-ranging benefits of MHD electric vehicles (EVs) and the policy opportunities to advance their deployment in North Carolina.
The governor’s remarks emphasized the economic benefits of the transition to EVs, as well as North Carolina’s leadership in transportation electrification. The state is home to electric bus and van manufacturer Arrival, as well as light-duty EV manufacturer VinFast. In October, Governor Cooper signed Executive Order 271 establishing the North Carolina Advanced Clean Trucks program, which will require manufacturers of MHD vehicles to make an increasing percentage of their North Carolina fleets zero-emission by 2025.
“North Carolina has already made great progress in electric vehicle manufacturing, and we’re well-positioned to be at the head of the global market transition to zero-emission vans, buses and trucks,” Governor Cooper said. “We’ll continue working with businesses and manufacturers across the state to strengthen our economy, create jobs and confront the climate crisis.”
Governor Cooper toured the MHD EVs on display at the event, including a Lion6 all-electric truck from Lion Electric Co, a school bus from Thomas Built Buses, and a Ford F-150 Lightning from the City of Charlotte’s municipal fleet.
Through the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, North Carolina and other states are poised to receive significant funding for transportation electrification, including awards for battery manufacturing. The governor’s remarks indicated that the state is preparing to take full advantage of the funding and invest in the EV transition.
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About the Electrification Coalition: The Electrification Coalition is a non-partisan, not-for-profit group committed to promoting policies and actions that facilitate the deployment of plug-in electric vehicles (EVs) on a mass scale in order to combat the economic, public health, and national security dangers caused by America’s dependence on oil. The EC works with a variety of stakeholders that represent the entire electrified transportation value chain, positioning the organization as a dedicated rallying point for an array of electrification allies. For more information, visit electrificationcoalition.org.