Vermont has reached a significant milestone in its adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), surpassing 10,000 EVs on the state’s roads, according to Drive Electric Vermont. The data, tracked by the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources and DEV, revealed that it took only six months for the state to register the latest 1,000 EVs, compared to the three years it took to reach the first 1,000. The Nissan LEAF emerged as the most popular EV in Vermont, with a total of 1,025 registrations.
Drive Electric Vermont’s coordinator, David Roberts, highlighted the advantages of driving electric, including the availability of more EV models and incentives that can reduce the purchase price by up to $20,000. In addition to the Nissan LEAF, other top-selling EVs in Vermont include the Toyota RAV 4 Prime, Tesla Model Y, Jeep Wrangler 4xe, and Volkswagen ID.4.
To support the adoption of EVs, Vermont offers state and federal incentives, as well as offers from electric utilities that reduce the cost of buying or leasing an EV. The state also provides enhanced incentives for Vermonters looking to replace their flood-damaged vehicles with electric or efficient alternatives following recent devastating floods.
As of now, approximately 55% of EVs in Vermont are all-electric vehicles powered by batteries, while the remaining 45% are plug-in hybrids that can run on both electricity and gasoline. The state boasts a total of 360 public charging stations, including 53 fast chargers.
Despite the progress, Vermont still has ambitious goals for EV adoption. The state aims to have 25% of all registered vehicles powered by renewable sources by 2030. To achieve this, Vermont needs to have 27,000 plug-in electric vehicles in operation by 2025 and 126,000 by 2030. While the current number stands at around 10,000 EVs, state progress has been exponential and not linear, according to Patrick Murphy from the Vermont Agency of Transportation.
VTrans incentive programs have played a significant role in boosting EV adoption, accounting for almost a quarter of all plug-in electric vehicles registered in Vermont. The agency is also working to expand the public charging network to support the growing number of EVs on the road. Furthermore, Vermont has adopted California’s zero emission vehicle regulations, which require automakers to deliver a sufficient supply of electric vehicles to meet the state’s targets.
Overall, Vermont’s progress in electric vehicle adoption is commendable, but continued efforts will be necessary to bridge the gap and achieve the state’s ambitious goals.
Sources:
Drive Electric Vermont, Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, Vermont Agency of Transportation