Fact Sheet
Transportation and Climate Initiative Program Fact Sheet
July 26, 2021
Fact Sheet
Electric Vehicles
Overview
Price volatility of fossil fuels and a growing emphasis on reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions make electric vehicles (EV) and hybrids an attractive alternative to conventional vehicles. Consumer-driven adoption of EVs has largely lagged, making up a small percentage of registered automobiles currently on U.S. roadways. States have utilized multiple policy mechanisms to spur deployment and adoption of EVs at the commercial scale, capitalizing on benefits to energy security and both environmental and human health.
Key Points
Key Point 1
Americans overwhelmingly want to see more available electric vehicles to buy; 73 percent say electric cars reduce oil use. (Union of Concerned Scientists)
Key Point 2
Since electric vehicles require no routine maintenance, they cost owners about $4,600 less to repair and maintain over the cars’ lifetime than conventional cars. (Consumer Report)
Key Point 3
State incentives have a dramatic effect on the deployment and adoption of EVs. (National Conference of State Legislatures)
Key Point 4
Ninety-four percent of Americans live in places where driving EVs is cleaner than a 50 MPG gasoline car. (Union of Concerned Scientists)
Key Point 5
EVs are projected to make up 65% of new light-duty vehicle sales by 2050. (Forbes)
Legislation
- Connecticut’s HB 6444 (2021) requires at least 50% of cars and light duty trucks, and 30% of buses, purchased to be zero-emission vehicles by 2030.
- Illinois’s SR 0296/HR 0293 (2021) calls for the Governor to sign the Multi-State Medium and Heavy Duty Zero Emission Vehicle Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) calling for 30% of new truck and bus sales to be zero-emission by 2030 and 100% zero-emission by 2050.
- Maine’s LD 347 (2021) directs transmission and distribution utilities to submit a proposed incentive rate schedule to promote the installation of electric vehicle charging stations by November 2021.
- Washington’s HB 1287 (2021) requires the development of a tool to forecast infrastructure and planning needs for transportation electrification.
- Maryland’s H.B.1246 (2019) increases the state tax credit to a flat $3,000 for each new fully-electric vehicle purchased. It also doubles the total allowance for tax credits awarded from $3 million to $6 million.
- Arkansas’s S.B.482 (2019) creates an income tax credit for the purchase of an electric or hybrid vehicle. An individual will receive $150 for the purchase of a new hybrid vehicle and $300 for a new electric vehicle.
- Maryland’s S.B.0987 (2019) states that if a building requires a new parking lot with 20 or more spaces, at least 5% of the parking spaces must contain electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
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