Electric vehicles (EVs) are gaining traction among consumers, governments, and automakers as battery prices fall and the benefits of EVs increase. Within the last year, virtually every major automobile manufacturer has announced plans to transition to electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles. As cities look to capitalize on the opportunity that EVs can bring, from lower maintenance costs for consumers to better air quality for residents, they also must lay the groundwork for their communities to become ‘EV-ready’. Continue reading »
Utilities, Companies, and Local Governments Discuss Opportunities for Collaboration on EVs in Minnesota
November 20, 2017 in Transportation & Fuels Author: Katelyn BocklundEarlier this fall, the Great Plains Institute hosted our third annual Energy Innovation Celebration with a focus on “Solutions from the Ground Up.” Ahead of the big event, the Metro Clean Energy Resource Team, in collaboration with Drive Electric Minnesota, hosted a pre-workshop focused on electric vehicles (EVs). More importantly, the workshop invited conversations centered around collaboration among utilities, local governments, and corporations on how to increase EV adoption in Minnesota. While the workshop helped to confirm some things we already knew, it also brought forth new context from additional voices in the room. Continue reading »
Midcontinent Power Sector Collaborative Tours General Motors’ Battery Lab
November 18, 2017 in Transportation & Fuels Author: Katelyn BocklundAs part of its September quarterly meeting, the Midcontinent Power Sector Collaborative (MPSC) had the unique opportunity to tour General Motors’ Battery Lab and learn about the power behind electric vehicles. Led by GM employee Douglas Drauch, the tour consisted of multiple stops including the Pack Lab, Cell & Module Lab, and Shaker Room. Continue reading »
Plug into Minnesota and Electrify Your Next Road Trip Up North
October 4, 2017 in Transportation & Fuels Author: Katelyn BocklundAutumn is quickly underway in Minnesota, which means it’s the perfect time to head north and witness the spectacular fall colors along the North Shore of Lake Superior. And now, thanks to the addition of DC Fast Chargers between the Twin Cities and Tettegouche State Park, drivers of all electric vehicles (EVs), even those with lower ranges, can enjoy a Fall road trip along Minnesota’s new electric highway. Continue reading »
A Look Back at Drive Electric Week in Minnesota
September 21, 2017 in Transportation & Fuels Author: Katelyn BocklundAnother successful week of National Drive Electric Week (NDEW) events in Minnesota was wrapped up on September 17. As a partnership of Minnesota electric vehicle (EV) champions, Drive Electric MN served as a communications hub for NDEW 2017 and helped to coordinate the efforts of several of our partners. As a special bonus this year, Twin Cities-based Chinook Book donated over 300 copies of the 2016-17 Chinook Book to distribute at NDEW events. Continue reading »
Renewable Charging Options in Minnesota for Your Plug-in Electric Vehicle
August 21, 2017 in Transportation & Fuels Author: Katelyn BocklundBased on our analysis, we’ve shown that while coal makes up most of the grid’s electricity sources in Minnesota, plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) result in about 50% fewer greenhouse gas emissions compared to gasoline vehicles over the life of the vehicle. If you are a PEV driver in Minnesota who wants to achieve even greater emission reductions, you can charge your PEV with energy from renewable sources. Continue reading »
The Midwest’s First Electric School Bus is Coming to Minnesota
July 25, 2017 in Transportation & Fuels Author: Katelyn BocklundGreat River Energy (GRE), a partner of Drive Electric Minnesota, just wrapped up its tour of the first electric school bus in Minnesota (and even the Midwest). The bus will be back in the fall, transporting children in Lakeville, MN to and from school in all its electric glory, powered by 100 percent wind energy through GRE’s Revolt program. Continue reading »
Analysis: Electric Vehicles Provide Even Greater GHG Reductions in 2017 and Beyond for the Upper Midwest
May 15, 2017 in Energy Systems, Transportation & Fuels Author: Dane McFarlaneGPI recently updated our previous analysis to explore the emission reductions achieved by driving an electric vehicle (EV) in specific regions in the Midwest. The updated analysis affirms and strengthens our finding that driving EVs, in comparison to gasoline vehicles, can provide significant greenhouse gas emission (GHG) reductions, with increasing reductions expected in coming years for both Minnesota (the focus of our initial analysis) and the Upper Midwest.
Minnesota Policy Leaders Continue to Support Bioeconomy Production Incentive
April 24, 2017 in Transportation & Fuels Author: Amanda BilekThe Minnesota Legislature convened in early January and has been busy advancing major spending and policy bills. The main work of the Minnesota legislative session in odd years is to finalize a two-year state budget. The Bioeconomy Coalition has been working to ensure that funding for the advanced biofuels, biobased chemicals, and biomass thermal energy production incentive programs are included in the two-year budget. The budget currently under debate at the legislature would cover fiscal years 2018 and 2019. Continue reading »
It’s no lie that electric vehicles (EVs) have taken off along the east and west coasts, especially in California. However, EV adoption in other parts of the country is happening at a slower pace. This includes the Midwest, which is home to roughly one-fifth of the population of the United States. An increase in EV deployment in Midwest has the potential to significantly reduce national transportation emissions, in addition to increasing opportunities for more Midwestern consumers to realize the many benefits of driving an electric vehicle. Continue reading »