RALEIGH – The North Carolina Zero-Emission Vehicle Plan is being developed to boost electric vehicle ownership.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation released Thursday a draft version of its North Carolina Zero-Emissions Vehicle Plan and is looking for public comments until Sept. 6. The plan can be reviewed on the NCDOT webpage.
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“DOT has created this draft plan with clear and measurable strategies, in order for our state to lead the nation in embracing zero-emission technologies,” said Transportation Secretary Jim Trogdon.
The draft plan is the result of Gov. Roy Cooper last fall issuing Executive Order No. 80, which is a commitment to address climate change and transition to a clean energy economy, according to NCDOT.
At the time of signing Executive Order 80 more than 6,000 fully electric vehicles were registered in the state. The governor’s order called upon NCDOT to develop a plan to increase the number of zero-emission vehicles registered in this state to 80,000 by 2025.
The plan summarizes the department’s research and public input it has received since January from online surveys and workshops and highlights issues and action areas for achieving the goal. Boosting the number of electric vehicle charging stations along major routes and at retail centers was cited as an example.
The plan highlights four paths toward complying with the executive order: Promoting public awareness; enhancing the convenience of operating and recharging a zero-emission vehicle; reducing the upfront costs; and considering policy changes that promote the use of electric vehicles.
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The final plan is to be submitted to the governor Sept. 27 at the North Carolina Climate Change Interagency Council meeting.
“We’ve been studying some important issues that will need to be addressed under the governor’s executive order,” said Colin Mellor, an NCDOT environmental policy analyst helping coordinate the department’s plan. “We need the public and other stakeholders to confirm we have heard their points of view, and to let us know if there are any other issues we should consider as we finalize the plan.”
