OEMs want federal help on push for EVs
Automakers and the nation's utility companies are urging the Obama administration to do more to boost the growth of electric vehicles (EVs).
In a letter to President Barack Obama, the heads of trade associations representing automakers, utility companies and battery companies have asked the administration to establish a task force to provide a necessary forum for public and private sector information exchange, and to collaboratively address challenges to large scale deployment of plug-in electric drive vehicles and the necessary infrastructure.”
The groups said the task force should be led by the Department of Energy, and include federal and state regulators; utilities; environmental groups; vehicle, fueling and grid officials; and consumers groups.
They also called for an interagency working group to coordinate federal efforts. It would “provide greater coordination of federal expenditures related to electric drive technologies and regulatory efforts across the federal government.”
The president has called for 1 million plug-in electric vehicles on the roads by 2015 and Congress has approved $2.4 billion in grants to boost EV and battery efforts.
“Aligning efforts between the public and private sector is the logical next step to bringing our nation closer to achieving widespread acceptance of electric drive technologies,” said Mike Stanton, CEO of the American International Automobile Manufacturers Association (AIAM), one of the signers of the letter to the president.
Congress is considering proposals to add another $6 billion or more to EV development efforts.
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