CT Efforts to Promote Electric Vehicles Ranked 13th in US in New Report

While ranking outside the top ten, Connecticut has been described as a “regional standout” in the Northeast, according to a first-of-its-kind report released this month by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). 

With transportation now the largest source of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, some states are taking comprehensive steps to help enable residents and businesses to use and charge electric vehicles (EV), yet many others have done little to reduce barriers, the report noted.

The State Transportation Electrification Scorecard found that California is far and away the national leader in enabling the use of EVs. It is the only state to set deadlines for electrifying transit buses, heavy trucks, and commercial vehicles. The state is also one of few to offer assistance for lower-income drivers replacing older, high-polluting cars with zero- or near-zero-emissions vehicles, and it plans to deploy chargers in economically distressed and environmental justice communities.

California earned 91 of 100 possible points on the organization’s scorecard.  After that state, the numbers varied widely.  Next bets was New York (63.5 points), followed by Washington, DC (59), Maryland (56), Massachusetts (54.5), Washington (54), Vermont (54), Colorado (48), Oregon (47), and New Jersey (44).

Connecticut was ranked in the second tier states, with a score of 38.5, just outside the top ten.  The analysis indicated that 20 states earned 15 points or fewer - barely on the field of play in efforts to develop the industry and public awareness.

Across the six categories that made up the scorecard, Connecticut earned 10 out of 17 possible points in Planning and Goals, 11 out of 30 in Incentives, 6 out of 12 in Transportation System Efficiency (third best in the nation), and 5.5 out of 10 in Electricity Grid Optimization.  The state also received only 6 out of 21 possible points in Outcomes, and 0 out of 10 in Equity – one of more than 20 states shut out in that category.

The report noted that today’s electric vehicles (EVs) cause significantly fewer emissions overall than their gas-powered counterparts, and many have lower lifetime ownership costs, thanks to low fueling and maintenance expenses. But the higher initial purchase cost and lack of access to vehicle charging remain barriers for many households and fleet owners—obstacles some states are mitigating by offering incentives to buy EVs, adding more charging options, and setting lower electric rates at preferred charging times.

“Ultimately, a full shift to affordable and accessible electrified vehicles—powered entirely by zero-carbon energy—will be necessary to bring emissions to zero and support livable communities,” the report stated. “The leading states are embracing this transition, but many more are just starting, even as the automakers are preparing a burst of new electric models,” added Bryan Howard, state policy director at ACEEE and lead report author.

The most common state actions to electrify transportation include planning for more EVs and EV charging options (23 states); incentives such as rebates, tax credits, and grants to buy large electric pickups and delivery trucks (27 states); using federal funds to buy electric transit buses (48 states); utility programs that offer lower electric rates at preferred times for EV (Level 2) charging (36 states); and utility funding to spur EV and EV charging adoption in low-income areas and environmental justice communities (15 states).

“Overall, states did best in planning and setting goals for EV deployment and charging infrastructure, though all still had room for improvement. Twelve states have adopted California’s ZEV program for personal vehicles, requiring manufacturers to offer a certain number of electric or other zero-emission vehicles each year.

For states that are represented in the top 30 but are in earlier stages of policy development, the report calls for offering on-the-hood incentives for purchase of EVs, codifying targets for vehicle and charger deployment, allowing utilities to make charging infrastructure investments, establishing clean energy targets for the electric industry, and setting overall greenhouse gas emissions reductions goals for the transportation sector.

The scorecard, according to the nonprofit ACEEE, was based on information collected from centralized databases/information sources, additional internet research, and feedback from subject matter experts and state contacts during an external review process.