More than 50 electric utilities across the United States have joined forces to form the National Electric Highway Coalition which will seek to accelerate the deployment of EV fast-charging stations along major US travel corridors by the end of 2023.
Led by the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), and merging the existing Electric Highway Coalition and the Midwest Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Collaboration, the new National Electric Highway Coalition has also included a number of additional participating electric companies from across the country.
Now, the Coalition consists of 51 investor-owned electric companies, one electric cooperative, and the Tennessee Valley Authority.
Member companies of EEI, which represents investor-owned electric companies, have already invested more than $US3 billion in customer programs and projects aimed at deploying EV charging infrastructure and accelerating electric transportation.
But EEI estimates that more than 100,000 EV fast charging points will be necessary to support what is expected to be 22 million EVs on US roads by 2030.
“EEI and our member companies are leading the clean energy transformation, and electric transportation is key to reducing carbon emissions across our economy,” said Tom Kuhn, EEI President.
“With the formation of the National Electric Highway Coalition, we are committed to investing in and providing the charging infrastructure necessary to facilitate electric vehicle growth and to helping alleviate any remaining customer range anxiety.”
“By merging and expanding the existing efforts underway to build fast-charging infrastructure along major travel corridors, we are building a foundational EV charging network that will help to encourage more customers to purchase an electric vehicle.
“EV owners want to charge conveniently and quickly without a fear of running out of electric fuel,” said Alliance for Transportation Electrification executive director Philip B. Jones.
“Moreover, the EV industry, led by electric companies and cooperatives, automobile OEMs, and EV service providers, need to accelerate the deployment of charging infrastructure now. With scores of new battery-electric vehicles coming to market over the next couple of years, we need to get the charging infrastructure sited, built, and funded.”
Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years. He has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012. His preferred mode of transport is his feet.