Western, Northeast states strike partnerships to boost electric vehicle adoption

Dive Brief:

Eight Western states that banded together last year to promote electric vehicle adoption have announced they will partner with the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) to facilitate communication and coordinate investment in the region.
And in the Northeast, automakers are partnering with states to advance consumer education and adoption of electric vehicles.
The "Drive Change. Drive Electric." campaign will focus on new vehicle models, tax and purchase incentives and the growing regional network of charging stations.

Dive Insight:

States have begun banding together regionally to promote electric vehicles and to address range issues by developing electric corridors to promote emissions-free transportation. Now, regional networks are beginning to expand their partnerships in an effort to boost awareness and adoption.

Last Thursday at the New York International Auto Show, automakers and Northeast states unveiled a new campaign will highlight the benefits of electrified transportation and and consumer education. The campaign will focus on: the growing variety of electric model vehicles; tax and purchase incentives; the availability of charging stations; and the economic benefits.

For instance, New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services has also signed on to the initiative, though the campaign will initially focus in the Northeast region. Plans include a new web site, advertising, social media, strategic partnerships and other strategies.

In the West, a group of states has partnered with a non-profit to expand their influence. Last year, governors from Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming signed a memorandum of understanding to advance development of an Intermountain West EV Corridor. To support that effort, NASEO announced it would be helping states create best practices and procedures and coordinate on charging station locations, voluntary minimum standards, and leveraging economies of scale.

NASEO has previously supported regional planning by state energy offices, and recently has assisted in developing electric vehicle programs and making alternative fuel vehicle investment decisions under the Volkswagen Settlement’s Environmental Mitigation Trust.