Charging Forward
How will the switch to EVs impact the states?
by Joel Sams In January 2021, General Motors announced it would sell only electric vehicles by 2035, joining a growing list of automakers to make electriconly commitments. In November, President Joe Biden signed an executive order setting a goal for half of all new vehicles sold in the U.S. to be zero-emission by 2030. California and New York have made similar commitments to zero-emission vehicles by 2035. It may be consumers, though, who make the most compelling case for electric vehicles. According to a report from the Consumer Technology Association, four in 10 automobile owners say they are likely to consider an electric vehicle (EV) for their next purchase. Among those who already own electric vehicles, support is even stronger — 92% of current EV owners say their next car will likely be an EV as well. The surge in demand is undeniable. What’s less clear is how to meet that demand. As EVs become more common, states will face challenges including power and grid infrastructure, charging, distribution and changing tax structures. What can states be doing now to prepare? During the 2021 CSG National Conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the Future of Sustainability Policy Academy hosted a panel of experts to provide insight into upcoming challenges and opportunities for EV infrastructure.
ISSUE 1 2022 | CSG CAPITOL IDEAS
Anna Denecke, director of infrastructure initiatives for the American Society of Civil Engineers, noted that America’s infrastructure received a grade of C-minus in the American Society of Civil Engineers’ 2021 Report Card.
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It’s not just roads and bridges that require investment. Denecke said the country needs to shore up built networks, as well. She pointed out that electricity relies on a complex patchwork of generation facilities and distribution lines. Most of the grid is aging, with some components more than 100 years old. “We basically need to rewire America,” she said. “We now have solar in New Mexico, we have wind in Kansas and Iowa, and these resources need to get to the coast. It’s going to require quite a bit of build-out and modernizing of our energy grid.” Amy Brink, vice president for state affairs at the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, said the automobile industry plans to invest $330 billion in vehicle electrification by 2025, as well as offer 130 models for sale in the U.S. market by 2026.
“You will see pickup trucks, you’ll see more SUVs, you’ll see certainly the subcompact and the mid-size, but they’re coming in all shapes and sizes,” Brink said. The industry hit a significant milestone in October 2021, Brink said, with EVs accounting for 5% of all new car sales. But that percentage will climb rapidly. By 2026, Brink expects EVs to account for 26% of all vehicles sold. To support this rapid change, residential and commercial infrastructure will have to grow to accommodate charging. “Very few have access to charging in their homes,” Brink said. “You can certainly use your plug-in in the wall, but it’s going to take you about 12 to 17 hours to charge your vehicle, which probably isn’t ideal. So, we want to get more and more conversations started with commissions and localities to start laying the groundwork for upgrading building codes to include electric charging in homes.”
