Minnesota releases plan to reach 200,000 electric vehicles by 2030

Minnesota is developing a plan to increase electric vehicle (EV) use by 50 times current amounts, reaching 200,000 on the road in just over 20 years.

“Accelerating Electric Vehicle Adoption: A Vision for Minnesota” was released by the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), the Pollution Control Agency and the Great Plains Institute. Together, they hope to see the current 6,000 electric vehicles on the road in Minnesota increase dramatically, as part of a larger societal benefit. As they see it, the vehicles reduce pollution, improve published health, are cheaper to maintain and more efficient besides.

While EVs currently cost significantly more than similar-sized vehicles made in traditional fashion, they hope that costs will lower as the technology becomes more commonplace and exposure grows.

“Electric vehicle technology is advancing rapidly,” Tim Sexton, MnDOT chief sustainability officer, said. “The vision document describes those benefits in detail and offers some sound strategies that Minnesota can use to support electric vehicles, including ongoing work to support electric vehicle charging corridors. The MPCA is also using funding from the Volkswagen emissions settlement to fund electric vehicle charging stations.

At the same time, the partners stated, expanding EV use will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fight climate change. New jobs will be created and the state will be able to pursue greater social equity.

“At a critical time for Minnesota’s economic and environmental future, this Vision for electric vehicles offers Minnesota the chance to quite literally pave the way for a technological revolution in mobility as transformative as the switch from horses to cars,” Rolf Nordstrom, president and CEO of the Great Plains Institute, said. “Collaborative public-private efforts like this are essential to fully realizing the many benefits that electrifying our transportation system will have on the health of residents, the total costs of driving, and the economy.”

Source: transportationtodaynews