November 23, 2021
EVs in Greater Minnesota: Faribault
As electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming more mainstream and in the national focus, Minnesota cities are increasingly looking to jump onboard. Faribault, Minnesota, is a town of about 24,000 people located in southeastern Minnesota that has been an early adopter of EVs. I caught up with David Wanberg, a city planner for the City of Faribault, to hear about Faribault’s progress towards electrifying its fleet.
September 30, 2021
The Medium- and Heavy-Duty Electric Vehicle Market: Plugging into the Future Part I
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…
September 21, 2021
How to Use the Electric Vehicle Resource Database
Drive Electric Minnesota maintains an Electric Vehicle (EV) Resource Database on Airtable, which categorizes EV resources so users can easily filter resources to their needs. The purpose of the database is to help connect users to resources about EVs that are in one easy-to-use location.
September 8, 2021
How to Host a Covid-Safe In-Person Ride and Drive
National Drive Electric Week is on the horizon, from September 25 through October 3, 2021, and organizers are considering a move back to in-person events. Ride and drives, a popular type of National Drive Electric Week event, have been a way for the electric vehicle (EV) industry to promote the transition to EVs and for the public to learn about and experience what it is like to drive electric. Because of the pandemic, ride and drives shifted to the virtual world with pre-recorded test drives and virtual panels of EV owners. Now, using proper safety measures, it is possible to host outdoor events in-person again where people can get behind the wheel of an EV.
June 4, 2021
EV Boot Camp Webinar: Community Best Practices and Resources
On April 29, the Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs) and the Great Plains Institute (GPI) co-hosted Cities Charging Ahead: Electric Vehicle Boot Camp. The webinar shared electric vehicle (EV) best practices and resources drawn from the two previous successful peer cohorts of cities working together to learn and take action to accelerate EV adoption in their communities. The topics covered included city roles and EV charging, an overview of adding EVs to city fleets, and EV readiness for cities.
May 19, 2021
Transportation and Fuel Policy Options in Minnesota: Clean Cars Minnesota, Future Fuels Act, and More
The following blog was originally published on Great Plains Institute’s website. Both policies explored in this blog could help increase electric vehicle adoption in Minnesota. For more information on how…
May 11, 2021
Position Statement: Unfair Taxes for Electric Vehicles
This position is supported by the following Drive Electric Minnesota Policy Committee members: Alliance for Transportation ElectrificationAmerican Lung Association in MinnesotaCity of MinneapolisConnexus EnergyElk River Municipal…
May 7, 2021
Electric Vehicles Available on the Minnesota State Contract
Local government units (LGUs) and nonprofits in Minnesota can purchase electric, hybrid, and internal combustion vehicles through the state’s master contract for Current Year Automobiles. Pickups, specialty vehicles, and law…
April 28, 2021
How to Host a Virtual Ride and Drive
For many of us, it feels like it has been years since we have been able to gather in one place. We have grown accustomed to social distancing, wearing masks,…
April 26, 2021
Minnesota Electric Vehicle Strategic Plan Public Engagement Series
The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) invites the public to attend one or more virtual public engagement sessions it is hosting between May 17-26, 2021 to gather input about Minnesota’s Electric Vehicle (EV) Strategic Plan. There will be three general sessions and three that dive deeper on…