White House salutes early leaders in EV Acceleration Challenge campaign
Edison Electric Institute (EEI) and the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) were cited by the White House Thursday for their participation in the Biden administration’s EV Acceleration Challenge for their collaboration in transitioning the nation’s bus fleets to electric vehicles.
The EEI and APTA were among a roster of more than 20 companies, industry associations and advocacy groups recognized by the White House for their early efforts in reaching the goal of having electric vehicles (EVs) account for 50 percent of all new vehicles sold in the United States by 2030. Specifically, EEI and APTA have been collaborating on information and a resource guide to guide mass-transit agencies as they switch to EV buses.
“We are thankful to APTA for its partnership in developing a resource guide to help transit agencies get off to a fast start as they work to electrify their bus fleets,” said EEI president Tom Kuhn said in a written statement. “This guide, combined with funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, is going to play a large role in accelerating the electrification of transit buses across the country.”
The White House said in its own statement the acceleration challenge was aimed at incentivizing the use of funds from the infrastructure law and other federal programs to speed up the deployment of EV fleets and charging stations nationwide. “These incentives will lower the cost of EVs and EV charging infrastructure; increase consumer demand and competition; promote equity and inclusion, and accelerate the growth of the EV market,” the statement said.
The statement cited collaborations and initiatives in four areas:
- Expansion of commercial EV fleets by individual companies including Amazon
- Tools and resources such as the EEI/APTA collaboration to make it easier for consumers and organizations to navigate the switch to EVs
- Expanding EV charging stations at private residences and commercial buildings
- Building community support for EVs, such as Route Zero, a cross-country campaign to be held in April by a coalition of environmental and social-justice organization.
The EEI/APTA resource guide was released earlier this month and includes a checklist of steps for transit agencies to consider as they take the initial steps toward the acquisition of a limited number of EV buses or a full feet transition. “Federal funding for electrification, a critical step in enhancing our environment, is set to transform bus fleets across America,” said APTA President Paul Skoutelas. “We’re excited to partner with EEI to develop resources that will help our members plan and prepare for this transition to zero-emission fleets.”
