Five new case studies published by the Great Plains Institute demonstrate how various clean fuel sectors could benefit financially from implementing a Midwestern clean fuels policy, such as the Future Fuels Act proposed in Minnesota.
The Medium- and Heavy-Duty Electric Vehicle Market: Plugging into the Future Part I
September 30, 2021 in Transportation & Fuels Author: M. Moaz Uddin
Electric vehicles (EVs) are the future! You have probably seen that headline before. The last decade has seen all-electric and plug-in hybrid EVs from many automakers become part of the mainstream market. One cannot help but wonder, where do medium- and heavy-duty EVs stand in the transition to electrification? That is the question this post aims to answer. Our second post will focus on the unique charging needs of medium- and heavy-duty EVs. Continue reading »
Drive the Future: Best Practices for Equitable Transportation Electrification in the Midcontinent
August 13, 2021 in Transportation & Fuels Author: Hannah Haas
In April, EVHybridNoire and the Great Plains Institute hosted “Drive the Future: Best Practices for Equitable Transportation Electrification in the Midcontinent,” a panel discussion with experts in the fields of e-mobility, equity, and workforce development training. Continue reading »
Midcontinent Transportation Electrification Collaborative Urges Congress to Pass Federal Economic Recovery Measures Benefiting the Region
July 20, 2021 in Transportation & Fuels Author: Katelyn Bocklund
Participants in the Midcontinent Transportation Electrification Collaborative (MTEC) recently submitted letters to congressional leadership, Transportation Secretary Buttigieg, and Energy Secretary Granholm regarding federal economic recovery opportunities that could create vast transportation electrification investments in the Midcontinent region. Continue reading »
Pairing Solar with Managed EV Charging for Distribution Grid Benefit
June 4, 2021 in Communities, Renewable Energy Authors: Brian Ross, Rebecca Heisel
As utilities and regulators anticipate increased electric vehicle (EV) adoption, they’re assessing how to prepare the electric distribution grid for the additional load. Recent work by the Great Plains Institute (GPI) points to the potential distribution grid benefits of pairing solar production with managed EV charging. Using a newly updated tool from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), GPI explored this value proposition by examining EV charging scenarios alongside solar production. Continue reading »
Transportation and Fuel Policy Options in Minnesota: Clean Cars Minnesota, Future Fuels Act, and More
May 19, 2021 in Transportation & Fuels Authors: Jessi Wyatt, Katelyn Bocklund
The transportation sector is the highest-emitting sector of greenhouse gases (GHG) in Minnesota. This post summarizes two of the major transportation policies being developed in Minnesota to address the state’s GHG emissions—Clean Cars Minnesota and the Future Fuels Act. Continue reading »
Sustainable Transportation Advisory Council Releases Recommendations for Minnesota
March 1, 2021 in Transportation & Fuels Author: Katelyn Bocklund
About a year after Great Plains Institute President and CEO Rolf Nordstrom was appointed to the 22-member Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) Sustainable Transportation Advisory Council (STAC), the council has come forward with its initial recommendations to decarbonize transportation in Minnesota. MnDOT will respond to these first recommendations by mid-March while STAC members continue to develop the next round of recommendations during 2021. Continue reading »
What Business Owners Should Know To Prepare For The Shift To Electric Vehicles
February 23, 2021 in News & Press, Transportation & Fuels Author: Rolf Nordstrom
GPI President and CEO Rolf Nordstrom wrote “What Business Owners Should Know to Prepare for the Shift to Electric Vehicles” for the Forbes Business Council website where it was originally published. Nordstrom recently became a council member.
Transportation electrification will likely permanently change how we move people and goods, so having a nuanced understanding of electric vehicles (EVs) and their implications is now a business imperative. Even though Tesla is a household name, there’s a lot of mythology and outdated information out there about EVs. Continue reading »
Looking Back: Progress Made Toward Transportation Electrification in Minnesota in 2020
January 13, 2021 in Transportation & Fuels Author: Katelyn Bocklund
The year 2020 was challenging—we worked hard to stay apart, embraced wearing masks everywhere we went, and rediscovered the outdoors. It was a year of immense pain, and we said goodbye to deeply loved friends and family. Restaurants, movie theaters, and other businesses endured trying economic times, or closed altogether, amidst a pandemic that shut down life as we once knew it. As we reflect on the past year, we’re also recognizing where progress was still able to occur, particularly on transportation electrification in Minnesota, which can deliver economic and environmental benefits for the state.
Consumer Reports Study Finds Electric Vehicle Maintenance Costs Are 50% Less Than Gas-Powered Cars
November 16, 2020 in Transportation & Fuels Author: Rebecca Heisel
A new study by Consumer Reports equips consumers with data showing the relatively lower cost of electric vehicle (EV) maintenance and overall ownership when compared to comparable gas-powered vehicles. Consumer Reports recently released a study analyzing EV ownership costs, including a chapter on their lifetime maintenance costs. The study looks at both battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and helps answer frequently asked questions about EV maintenance and other costs.
