More and more electric vehicles are being added to lineups for fleets as well, including in larger class sizes, and grant funding helps reduce cost. With the lack of a need for oil changes and other routine maintenance and the cost of charging being less than that of diesel, the total cost of ownership and longevity of the vehicles are making them more appealing and accessible to fleets of all types and sizes.
Skeptics often question battery range or availability of charging stations. The overwhelming majority of EV owners charge overnight in their garages during off-peak grid hours and range is increasing with each new model year. The range on most new passenger EVs is around 300 miles or more, comparable to a tank of gas.
What about electricity that comes from coal-fired power plants, some ask. Isn’t that causing as much air pollution as gasoline? Multiple studies at the federal level have shown the answer is no. Even with coal-fired power plant electricity, EV charging still produces fewer emissions overall than gasoline-powered tailpipe emissions.
For those without garages living in apartments or condos with parking lot or street parking, South Shore Clean Cities is working to help solve charging barriers along with other Clean Cities coalitions and the U.S. Department of Energy through the Vehicle Charging Innovations for Multi-Use Dwellings program.
South Shore Clean Cities is also a partner in the Michigan to Montana I-94 Clean Fuel Corridor program, which seeks to fill charging station gaps along I-94. Portions of I-94 and I-65 are already designated as alternative fuel corridors thanks to our work there.