NYS Governor To Install Hundreds Of New Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Statewide

With high and unpredictable gas prices becoming a constant in New York State, Governor Andrew Cuomo has set plans in motion to install about 325 new electric vehicle charging stations across the state.

Electric vehicle charging stations. Photo courtesy of inhabitat.com.

Cuomo has awarded $4.4 million in state funding to be distributed among 10 facilitators – comprising of companies, municipalities, and state-operated power and transportation authorities – to make the installations.

“With New Yorkers facing higher prices at the pump, the state is stepping up to make owning an electric vehicle an affordable and convenient option,” said Cuomo.

The governor’s office hopes that an infrastructure of electric charging stations will help reduce oil reliance in the state and promote the sale of electric cars, trucks, and other vehicles.

Transportation currently makes up about three-fourths of New York State’s oil consumption, and nearly 40 percent of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions.

The state’s electric vehicle charging station project is part of a joint effort by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and the U.S. Department of Energy.

The NYSERDA is also planning to manage a $10 million fund that will offer vouchers of up to $20,000 per vehicle for the purchase of electric commercial trucks weighing more than 10,000 pounds.

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U.S.Legislators Grant Billions to Electrify Auto Industry Fearing Foreign Oil Security Risks

Over the last two years, U.S. legislators have given out over $2 billion in grants and loans to companies for the research and development of energy efficient green technologies for the nation’s auto industry.

A major motivator is fear. The latest government report - The Recovery Act: Transforming the American Economy through Innovation - found that, “Oil powers 95 percent of America’s cars, trucks, ships, planes, and rail cars.

“The United States is the largest oil consumer and importer in the world and relies on imports for more than half of its oil consumption. This dependence on oil is an energy security threat and increases U.S. economic vulnerability.” Additionally, it acknowledges that, “The environmental impact of petroleum-powered vehicles is also a rising concern.”

The bulk of the grant money to the auto industry has gone into building factories and facilities for improving electric vehicles, new battery technologies, electric power trains, and the development of charge stations.

The report speculates that, “Today, an American driving 32 miles a day to and from work will spend almost $1,000 a year on gasoline, each day adding to U.S. dependence on foreign oil. A consumer driving an electric car would save over $630 per year powering the car with electricity generated in American power plants instead of gasoline made from imported oil.”

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