This has been another successful year for the movement toward greater electric vehicle adoption. As 2019 is coming to an end, let’s take a look back at some of the notable moments for EVs and Plug In America.
New EV models: long-range all-electrics
Just one year ago, there were only four all-electric vehicles with a range of more than 200 miles: Tesla’s three models and the Chevy Bolt. At the end of 2019, that number has more than doubled, with the addition of the Hyundai Kona, Kia Niro, Jaguar I-PACE, Audi e-tron, and Nissan LEAF Plus. Notably, five of those start at under $40,000, in line with the average new car price of $36,718 in the U.S. We are excited by the rapidly growing number of EVs on the market and hope the automakers continue delivering the new EV models they are announcing. To learn more and compare vehicles, visit PlugStar.com or view our 2019 EV Guide.
Policy wins and losses
This year, Colorado adopted the zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate, joining California and nine other states that choose to prioritize clean air and clean vehicles. This is a major victory for that state. Minnesota and New Mexico also announced they will begin the process to adopt the ZEV mandate.
On the federal level, we are still fighting a battle against the Environmental Protection Agency, which is actively undermining EV adoption by revoking California’s long-standing ability to set stricter vehicle emissions standards through the Advanced Clean Cars Program, which includes the ZEV mandate. We are also actively urging Congress to extend the federal EV tax credit to benefit more consumers and to reward rather than punish domestic auto manufacturers who were first to market with EVs. If you haven’t already, please contact your House representative and tell them you want the credit extended!
There’s lots more to include here, but in short, our policy team will continue working with states and the federal government in 2020 to implement supportive policies and programs that drive the adoption of EVs.
Inaugural Drive Electric Earth Day
Building off the success of National Drive Electric Week, we partnered with Sierra Club and Electric Auto Association to launch Drive Electric Earth Day in April, a national campaign to highlight electric vehicles. There were 187 events across the United States, as well as Canada, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and New Zealand, far exceeding our expectations. With the 50th anniversary of Earth Day coming up in April 2020, this is a great time to join the movement and create your own Drive Electric Earth Day event!
PlugStar.com: EV consumer’s new best friend
Since its launch in late 2018, Plug In America’s PlugStar.com has assisted more than 250,000 EV consumers, making it easier than ever to switch to an electric vehicle. Consumers can compare vehicles and incentives, get equipped for charging, and connect with PlugStar trained and certified dealers for a more informed and seamless shopping experience.
This year, we trained 258 auto salespeople in Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, St. Louis, and New Jersey to better assist EV consumers. In 2020, we will continue expanding our dealer training to other cities across the United States. We will also expand our support for EV dealers with the launch of an online training platform as yet another resource in the dealer toolkit.
