BENNINGTON — To paraphrase an old song, the future for electric vehicle ownership in Vermont is getting better all the time.
The state Agency of Transportation has received federal alternative fuel corridor designations for additional highway segments, most of which pass through Bennington. That news is one note in a larger effort to drive up the level of EV ownership – and to encourage growth of recharging infrastructure along state, federal and local highways.
In a release, the state agency said the Federal Highway Administration has named U.S. Route 7 between Bennington and the Interstate-189 interchange in South Burlington, and Route 9 between the Bennington-New York border and the Vermont-New Hampshire border as “corridor-ready” for alternative fuel infrastructure development.
In addition, the federal agency listed in the “corridor pending” category Route 7 between Bennington and the Williamstown, Mass.
NEW FUNDING POSSIBLE
“Federal designation of these highways supports Vermont’s continuing work on electric-vehicle charging infrastructure and will assist Vermont and surrounding states and provinces with regional collaboration on vehicle electrification for travel and tourism,” said Transportation Secretary Joe Flynn.
According to the VTrans release, Vermont already leads the nation in per-capita electric vehicle supply equipment deployment and ranks among the top states in electric vehicle market penetration and policy support.
VTrans spokesman Daniel Dutcher said this week that while Vermont has been active on its own in encouraging EV use and the expansion of charging station infrastructure, the highway designations could help put the state “in a position to take maximum advantage” of any funding that becomes available from the federal government – such as in a massive infrastructure bill proposed by the Biden administration.
In addition to the state Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment grant programs, incentives to drive an EV, or information about incentives, are available through a federal tax credit; Drive Electric Vermont; Green Mountain Power; and a number of auto dealerships and automakers.
GOOD TO GO TODAY
For Bruce Lee-Clark, of Bennington, who has owned a Nissan Leaf Plus for about 18 months, there are no infrastructure barriers that can’t be overcome with a little planning.
“It has been an overwhelmingly positive experience,” he said of owning the vehicle.
His model has a range of up to 250 miles on a full charge, meaning he can make it to Boston or New York, for instance, without a recharge.
Powering up is not as quick as filling a gas tank, he said, but it can be accomplish at a Level 3 fast-charging station (providing up to 800 volts) in the amount of time it takes to stop for lunch.
Finding a fast charger is easy, Lee-Clark said, using a phone and an online map. The charging service – if not free at a sponsored facility, such owned by a town or business – can be paid for as well through an app on his phone, he said, or with a credit card or an account with a supplier network.
An interactive map can also provide information on whether a particular charger is in use, whether it is a Level 1 (a standard 120 household plug-in), a Level 2 (a 240-volt plug-in), or a Level 3 fast-charging unit — and how many chargers are available at the station.
Normally, Lee-Clark uses a Level 2 charger he had installed at his home, which required installation of a 220-volt outlet near the driveway, similar to those used for a clothes dryer or an electric stove, costing about $300 to install.
The Level 2 charger itself was provided free through a GMP incentive program for purchasers of EVs.
According to GMP spokeswoman Kristin Kelly, the Level 2 chargers would normally cost $600 to $700.
In addition, the utility offers two levels of off-peak electricity rates for EV charging, both below the residential rate, which is a program Lee-Clark participates in.
He and others said the cost of driving an EV works out to roughly the equivalent of using gasoline costing $1 to $1.25 a gallon. The difference in cost has become more pronounced during the recent surge in gas prices, Lee-Clark said.
MAINTENANCE
A much lower level of overall vehicle maintenance was something Lee-Clark said he knew about but nevertheless found pleasantly surprising.
He said he has been back to the dealership once for an annual inspection and tire rotation. That is considered normal, he said, since most of the moving parts of a gas-powered vehicle are not required in an EV.
The battery, if replaced, would be the largest expense. An EV vehicle battery is variously estimated to last 10 or more years, with replacement costs averaging $5,000 or more.
After removal, some auto batteries are repurposed for wall-mounted electricity storage units.
QUIET, POWERFUL
Lee-Clark said the experience of driving an EV includes an extremely quiet ride, power that is available immediately when the accelerator is pushed down, and heat and windshield defogging that are “exceptionally fast.”
He said, “I love the heater,” adding that using the heater or the air conditioner only reduces the overall mileage range of a full charge by about 20 or 15 miles respectively.
“EVs are awesome to drive and cost less to own,” Kelly said.
She added, “This is a really exciting time, especially with all the new models coming out.”
EV demonstrations that GMP has held around the state, showing a variety of models, have proven very popular, she said.
According to its website, Drive Electric Vermont is a public-private partnership of policy makers, industry leaders, and ordinary citizens accelerating transportation electrification in the green mountain state.
Dave Roberts, of Drive Electric Vermont, said the number of EVs registered in the state reached about 4,000 last summer and now total around 5,000.
In July 2015, the total was 943.
In order to reach goals in the state’s renewable energy and fossil fuels reduction goals, Roberts said a level of 40,000 to 50,000 electric vehicles would be required within five years.
“We know that the incentives are critical,” he said.
In Vermont, gas and diesel vehicles contribute the state’s largest source of fossil fuel emissions.
“Vermont is doing a good job relative to other states” in promoting and supporting alternative fuel vehicles, Roberts said, citing grant programs to help fund Level 3 and Level 2 charging stations around the state.
If there is federal infrastructure money coming, “it could be put to good use” expanding the state’s charging station infrastructure, he said.
Vermont has a goal of ensuring that all locations in the state are within 25 or 30 miles of a fast-charging station.
The state is also funding Level 2 charging at a variety of locations, including tourist destinations, multi-unit dwellings, downtown areas, overnight lodging, and workplaces through the Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment programs.
Lee-Clark, who serves on the Select Board, said he thinks the town should consider EV vehicles as replacements for some of the vehicles used by various town departments, and that perhaps area school districts could consider Level 2 chargers that staff members could access during the school day.
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