Details for Plan on Boosting Electric Car Sales in Northeast, California Emerge

Last October, eight states announced plans to promote the sale of more than 3 million electric cars by 2025, a massive leap from the 200,000 or so currently on US roads.

Now, more details of how that task will be accomplished have emerged.

The program – which also encompasses hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles – will involve a mix of charging and refueling station construction, expansion of incentives, and regulatory changes to encourage the sale of more zero-emission vehicles, Automotive News reports.

The states will fund construction of more electric-car charging stations and hydrogen refueling stations, although so far only California has set money aside for the latter.

In addition, the coalition plans to streamline building codes and liability-insurance regulations to make it easier for new buildings to incorporate charging stations.

The plan also calls for uniform signage to indicate charging and refueling stations, as well as a uniform payment system for public charging stations.

This could make drivers' lives easier by eliminating the need to carry multiple cards and fobs for different charging station networks.

Finally, the states declared their continued commitment to monetary incentives--such as tax credits and purchase rebates--and non-monetary ones like single-occupant carpool-lane access and preferential parking for zero-emission vehicles.

Details for Plan on Boosting Electric Car Sales in Northeast, California Emerge