At its monthly meeting, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) Board of Directors adopted a resolution to establish an Electric Vehicle (EV) Deployment Clearinghouse and an EV Deployment Working Group to help expand EV infrastructure and increase the use of EVs regionwide.
Under COG’s Climate, Energy, and Environment Policy Committee (CEEPC), the working group will bring together representatives from local jurisdictions and other public and private sector partners. It will provide members with an opportunity to coordinate actions and develop an EV infrastructure deployment plan for metropolitan Washington that will enhance the region’s ability to transition to electric vehicles at scale. The group will prioritize information sharing, developing templates for policies and practices, regional partnerships, and identifying opportunities for funding support.
The clearinghouse will focus on keeping members informed on local EV planning, zoning, permitting, and incentive policies, as well as charging station procurements and installation/operation support agreements. These initiatives will help area officials assess the number and type of EV charging stations that will be needed in the future as well as optimal locations for these stations.
“Collaborative opportunities like the working group and clearinghouse will help us create a more consistent and coordinated network in our multistate region,” said COG Board Chair and Arlington County Board Vice Chair Christian Dorsey. “We will put ourselves in a better position to pursue potential cooperative purchases as well as state and federal grants, especially new funding related to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and Inflation Reduction Act.”
Since the adoption of the 2030 Climate and Energy Action Plan, COG has been helping its member governments advance the region’s climate goals by assisting on local jurisdictions’ climate and energy action plans and EV fleet policies and plans.
The number of registered battery electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle owners increased by more than 300 percent between 2016 and 2020. As of 2020, the region had more than 33,000 electric vehicle owners that account for 1.7 percent of all light duty vehicles. Regionally, the total number of electric vehicle charging station plugs has increased from just over 300 in 2012 to more than 3,500 in 2021. Charging stations that can fully charge an EV in as little as 20 minutes have expanded from zero in 2012 to 475 charging plugs in 2021.
The EV initiatives support COG’s overarching planning priorities highlighted in the Region United: Metropolitan Washington Planning Framework for 2030, including a regional goal for a 50 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions below baseline levels by 2030. Staff continue to track the adoption of EVs and the progress of EV infrastructure in the region and will work with local governments to build a robust, sustainable network.
MORE: Resolution R40-2022 – Endorsing efforts to support Electric Vehicle Deployment