GHG Emissions, Industrial, Utilities  -  November 7, 2016

BMW, GM, Nissan team up to push EV deployment

The White House, in partnership with 28 utilities, automakers and other companies, on Nov. 3 announced plans to build 48 electric vehicle charging corridors along highways across the U.S. 

The newly designated electric vehicle routes cover nearly 25,000 miles, in 35 states, the Obama administration said in a news release. The effort is underway with the participation of BMW, General Motors Co. and Nissan Motor Co. alongside local utilities and EV infrastructure companies. 

"These initial and future corridors will serve as a basis for a national network of electric vehicle charging infrastructure to enable coast to coast zero emission mobility on our nation's highways," the White House said. 

The plan builds on the previously announced $4.5 billion in loan guarantees to support commercial-scale deployment of innovative electric vehicle charging facilities and the administration's new set of "Guiding Principles to Promote Electric Vehicles and Charging Infrastructure."

Early next year, the U.S. DOE plans to publish two studies developed with national laboratories and with input from a range of stakeholders to support broad EV charging infrastructure deployment, including along DOT's alternative fuel corridors, according to the announcement. The first is a national EV infrastructure analysis that identifies the optimal number of charging stations for different EV market penetration scenarios; the second will provide best practices for EV fast charging installation, including system specifications as well as siting, power availability, and capital and maintenance cost considerations.

Share this valuable information with your colleagues using the buttons below: