Rural America faces challenges in adopting electric vehicles - Entrepreneur Generations

Electric vehicles are increasingly popular, but it may be a while before they're feasible in rural America. It depends a great deal on whether rural areas are able to snag federal funding aimed at expanding the network of EV charging stations. 

"How rural communities will fare in the battle for electric vehicles funds comes down to a sort of chicken and egg scenario, officials said," Liz Carey reports for The Daily Yonder. "Without acceptance of electric vehicles in rural areas, federal funding for charging stations will go elsewhere. But without the charging stations, fewer rural residents will buy electric vehicles."

The Transportation Department recently released a toolkit aimed at helping rural communities best leverage infrastructure funding to build EV charging stations. Widely available charging stations are the key to widespread adoption of EVs, the toolkit said, and can benefit rural residents more, Carey reports.

"In rural parts of the country—home to 20% of Americans and almost 70% of America’s road miles—EVs can be an especially attractive alternative to conventional vehicles," the toolkit said. "Rural residents drive more than their urban counterparts, spend more on vehicle fuel and maintenance, and often have fewer alternatives to driving to meet their transportation needs. Over the long run, EVs will help residents of rural areas reduce those costs and minimize the environmental impact of transportation in their communities."

However, increasing adoption of EVs would require states and the federal government to reconsider how they fund roads and highways, since the gas tax is currently the primary source of such funds, Carey reports.

from The Rural Blog https://ift.tt/mTxGo2M Rural America faces challenges in adopting electric vehicles - Entrepreneur Generations

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