Oakland (Sept. 30, 2015)—In the critical effort to speed the deployment of electric vehicles, 7 U.S. states, two European governments, and Quebec have launched the International Zero-Emission Vehicles Alliance. California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Oregon, Rhode Island and Vermont will all be part of the new alliance. This coalition will set targets, share data, and experiment with new policies to get more electric vehicles on the road.
Below is a statement by Don Anair, deputy director and research director of the Clean Vehicles Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists.
“If we’re going to cut our oil use, decrease emissions and fight climate change, we absolutely must fuel more of our vehicles with electricity, generated from low-carbon sources. Fortunately, several U.S. states have taken a leadership role in this effort, and we’re pleased to see them expanding their cooperation internationally. The collaboration among California and other states to build out electric vehicles has been a major factor in advancing both the technology of electric vehicles and the market for manufacturers. We’re excited about how international collaboration with other electric-vehicle innovators can take us even further.
“The states’ early success in building a market for zero-emission electric vehicles should be a model for the nation. But we need to go much further to unleash the full potential of electric vehicles. We hope the creation of the International ZEV Alliance will increase the momentum for smart policies to clean up transportation.”