Achievements to Date:

Since its establishment in early 2018, ATE has had a laser-focus on State and Local Government efforts in accelerating activities to promote transportation electrification (TE).  We have rolled up our sleeves and gotten to work in about 20 to 25 States (the landscape of key states is dynamic and constantly changing) to work with utilities, EV service providers, OEMs, vendors, and NGOs in key States.  We have adopted a big tent approach focused on broad collaboration.  We have focused our efforts on the state Public Utility Commissions (PUCs), but have also involved the state energy offices, environmental agencies, Governor’s Offices, and increasingly state departments of transportation (DOTs).

The results have been apparent in the hundreds of millions of dollars approved for utility investments in TE infrastructure and EV adoption and education and outreach and other programs in many States.  These include large commitments to invest in TE infrastructure and programs in historically underserved and low to moderate income communities and neighborhoods, as well as rural underserved areas in States.  In addition, ATE has been active in educating the Commissions, state agencies, and stakeholders on the importance of interoperability and open standards as we build out the infrastructure.

Going forward:

At ATE, we believe that the infrastructure gap is large and growing as the OEMs step up their efforts to introduce more light-duty vehicles to consumers in all states.  In addition, the move toward fleet electrification led by medium and heavy-duty truck and bus operators has been accelerating rapidly.  If these challenges are not addressed quickly through better planning, coordination, and cooperation, we could face some serious bottlenecks in charging infrastructure in the next three or five years.

Accordingly, we believe that utilities need to accelerate their planning for TE infrastructure investments, as well as grid upgrades and education and outreach, to serve these needs.  The EV service providers and vendors will be a vital part of this effort working with the private sector as well as with the utility and energy sector. 

We will have to address the issues and needs of all communities in this transformation since electric transportation is becoming a critical infrastructure of the future.  This means addressing the needs of underserved communities, BIPOC neighborhoods, and rural communities.  ATE will be focused on addressing the needs of all communities and consumers, as well as continuing to ensure reliability and resiliency in an era of extreme weather variability.  Finally, ATE will continue to focus on ensuring a more convenient charging experience for EV consumers among the multiple networks and hardware providers by insisting on strong interoperability and open protocols which can be verified and enforced.