Securing America's Future Energy

Electrification Coalition Calls For Expansion of Policies to Boost EV Adoption

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Alex Adams | 202.461.2374 | aadams@secureenergy.org

In testimony given today to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Electrification Coalition (EC) Vice President Ben Prochazka called for an expansion of a series of federal policies designed to boost electric vehicle (EV) adoption.

At the hearing, titled Examining How Federal Infrastructure Policy Could Help Mitigate and Adapt to Climate Change, Prochazka called for the retention of the 30C and 30D federal tax credits, with amendments to the 30D credit as EV manufacturers begin to reach the 200,000-vehicle cap. To spur electric bus purchases, Prochazka recommended low or zero-interest loans, the expansion of the FTA’s Low or No-Emission Bus Competitive Grant Program, and continued support of bus programs through the FAST Act.

Crucially, to allay consumer fears over range and charging anxiety, the FHWA’s Alternative Fuel Corridors program should be expanded and signage for charging stations must also be improved. Extra signage will not only help current EV drivers, but also demonstrate to other motorists considering the switch to electric that the requisite charging infrastructure is available.

“Currently 92 percent of the U.S. transportation system is powered by oil, which is a volatile, globally-priced commodity traded on an unfree market. We need aggressive policy interventions that spur a transition to alternative fuels. Electricity is diverse in source, American-made, low in cost and stable in price,” he told the committee.

The EC is a sister organization of Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE), and shares SAFE’s mission of enhancing U.S. economic and national security by reducing our dependence on oil. The EC is committed to bolstering American energy security by advocating for the deployment of EVs on a mass scale. To achieve this goal, the EC has successfully implemented EV accelerator communities in Northern Colorado and Rochester, NY, and has set up Drive Electric Orlando, one of the nation’s first EV rental programs. The EC is also a technical advisor to both Smart Columbus, the winner of U.S. DOT’s Smart City Challenge and the newly-founded Climate Mayors EV Purchasing Collaborative, which incentivizes fleet electrification through bulk purchases.

“The city of Greensboro, NC, is launching 16 electric buses, which will eventually eliminate almost 2 million gallons of diesel. Extending that to the 70,000 city buses and 400,000 school buses operating nationwide—if just half go electric it would save $6 billion annually and cut 58 billion gallons of diesel use,” Prochazka added.

To read the full testimony, please click here.

 

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About the Electrification Coalition

The Electrification Coalition is a nonpartisan, nonprofit group of business leaders committed to promoting policies and actions that reduce America’s dependence on oil by facilitating the deployment of electric vehicles on a mass scale. The members of the Electrification Coalition are leaders of companies representing the entire value chain of an electrified transportation system.

For more information, visit www.electrificationcoalition.org.

About Securing America’s Future Energy

Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) is an action-oriented, nonpartisan organization that aims to reduce America’s dependence on oil. Near-total dependence on petroleum in the transportation sector undermines the nation’s economic and national security, and constrains U.S. foreign policy. To combat these threats, SAFE advocates for expanded domestic production of U.S. oil and gas resources, continued improvements in vehicle fuel efficiency, and transportation sector innovations including electric vehicles, natural gas trucks, and autonomous vehicles. In 2006, SAFE joined with General P.X. Kelley (Ret.), 28th Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, and Frederick W. Smith, Chairman, President, and CEO of FedEx Corporation, to form the Energy Security Leadership Council (ESLC), a group of business and former military leaders committed to reducing the United States’ dependence on oil. Today, the ESLC is co-chaired by Frederick W. Smith and General James T. Conway (Ret), 34th Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps.

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