Coalition releases electric vehicle policy toolkit for cities and towns

The Electrification Coalition has released a new guide for cities and towns outlining a range of policies intended to accelerate the electrification of transportation in their communities.

“Electrifying Transportation in Municipalities” identifies the most effective policy levers that cities, towns and counties can use to expand charging infrastructure, transition fleets to electric vehicles, and support EV adoption by consumers.

“The transition to an electrified transportation future requires a mix of policies and actions at the federal, state and local levels,” said Ben Prochazka, executive director of the Electrification Coalition. “Communities and counties have been laboratories of innovation, and they remain essential to widespread EV deployment. This collection of policies harnesses proven strategies and lays out opportunities for future action that will help them to continue to lead.”

Increasing electric vehicle use can reduce greenhouse gas emissions while improving air quality and public health, Prochazka said.

The free guide identifies a set of essential EV policies that local governments can enact to electrify their own municipal and transit fleets and accelerate EV adoption in the communities they serve. It is designed to galvanize local policymakers and EV advocates in cities, towns, counties, metropolitan planning organizations, utilities, air quality districts, environmental health agencies, public works departments, and transit agencies.

“Electrifying Transportation in Municipalities” outlines policies in five categories: charging infrastructure, multi-sector electrification, freight, fleet electrification and consumer adoption. The toolkit provides an assessment of each policy’s greenhouse gas emissions reductions, public health benefits, equity benefits, and job creation opportunities. It also offers guidance on cost considerations, political obstacles and key stakeholders. Real-world examples illustrate these policies in action, at the local, state, utility and federal levels.

The toolkit offers a wide range of strategies that can be tailored to the needs of each community. By compiling the full range of EV policy strategies and distilling the latest research and resources, the toolkit streamlines the policy research process for decision makers from large cities to small towns.

The toolkit highlights policy actions already taken in many of the American Cities Climate Challenge cities.

The nonpartisan, nonprofit Electrification Coalition promotes policies and actions to facilitate the widespread adoption of plug-in electric vehicles on a mass scale.