President Obama Urged To Create Task Force For Plug-In Electric Vehicles

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Organizations representing auto manufacturers, electric utilities, and the electric drive industry called on President Obama to establish a new National Electric Fuel Task Force to help accelerate the adoption of plug-in electric vehicles and the necessary infrastructure. 

A letter was signed and delivered to the White House by the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers, the Electric Drive Transportation Association, and the Edison Electric Institute. The organizations claim the task force is needed to provide a forum for public and private sector coordination, address challenges for large-scale deployment of plug-in electric vehicles, the development of consumer awareness, and education efforts to accelerate the adoption of these vehicles in the U.S. Led by the Department of Energy, the task force would include federal and state regulators, standards organizations, utilities, environmental groups, consumer groups, and electric drive industry stakeholders.

The organizations also called on the administration to form an Interagency Electric Drive Working Group to help streamline federal programs, expenditures, and regulations related to electric drive. Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, $2.4 billion in grants have been given to battery and charging infrastructure companies to speed up deployment and the growth of the U.S. electric drive industry.

"The Administration’s ongoing support has been critical for growth of the electric drive industry, and these recommended initiatives will provide the next stage of federal leadership," said EDTA President Brian Wynne. "The task force will promote the coordination of state and local efforts to move U.S. transportation away from oil, resulting in a cleaner environment, a more secure nation, and a more competitive economy."

"The President has set a highly ambitious goal of bringing one million plug-in hybrid vehicles to our nation’s roadways by 2015," said AAM President and CEO Dave McCurdy. "By taking these steps, the Administration can ensure that federal agencies set long-term, consistent policies that encourage electric drive vehicle and infrastructure deployment."