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The Latest

Read about the latest electric vehicle happenings in Minnesota and beyond below

September 25, 2019

National Drive Electric Week Event Highlights 

From September 14 to the 22, Minnesota was busy celebrating electric vehicles (EVs). What started in 2011 as Plug-In Day has turned into a week-long celebration for EVs. Across the…

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September 20, 2019

Minnesota Department of Transportation Releases Pathways to Decarbonizing Transportation Report

A new report from the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) shows routes to a lower-carbon future for the largest greenhouse gas emitting sector in the state. The Pathways to Decarbonizing…

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September 17, 2019

Edina: Capital Improvement through Charging Stations

When transportation became the number one source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, the City of Edina committed to exploring ways to reduce emissions from transportation in the…

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September 10, 2019

Cities Charging Ahead! That’s a Wrap, Now What?

During 2018-19, 28 Minnesota cities worked together in regional cohorts through the Cities Charging Ahead! (CCA) project to learn and act together to become “electric vehicle (EV) ready communities.” These…

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September 4, 2019

How to Electrify Your Fleet: Lessons from Cities Charging Ahead Fleet Studies

Stakeholder groups working to increase electric vehicle (EV) adoption often highlight the money you can save by driving an EV over the lifetime of the vehicle as one of several…

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August 15, 2019

Electric Vehicle Charging Station Economics: GPI’s DC Fast Charging Calculator

As part of our research on the economics of DC fast charging, the Great Plains Institute created a model to calculate the costs and revenue of operating an electric…

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August 10, 2019

Analysis: How Demand Charges Impact Electric Vehicle Fast Charging Infrastructure

The Great Plains Institute recently released a white paper analyzing the economics of direct current fast charging (DCFC) as part of our work with the Midcontinent Transportation…

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July 21, 2019

Reducing Transportation Emissions Through Better Zoning

Local governments across the nation are leading on solutions to address climate change that will bring major benefits to their communities, from cleaner air to saving money on energy bills. Over 400 mayors in the US signed accords to meet the Paris climate goals, and hundreds of American cities have taken the next steps of establishing carbon emission benchmarks, setting carbon reduction or carbon neutrality goals, and creating climate action or energy plans on how to achieve their local goals.

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June 29, 2019

Business and Government Collaboration Creates Electric Vehicle Charging Solution: Case Study in Red Wing, MN

Businesses in the City of Red Wing, MN are a prime example of the forward–thinking needed to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure. …

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June 23, 2019

Electrifying the Family Road Trip

The American Automobile Association (AAA) expects 100 million Americans and more than 50 percent of families to pack up the car for a road trip this summer (even more than last year).  In Minnesota, the popular trip ‘Up North’ to Lake Superior is the first to go fully electric with the Interstate 35 corridor now boasting enough chargers to power any electric vehicle (EV) from the Twin Cities to Duluth. Historic Highway 61, made famous by Bob Dylan’s acoustics, is also now electrified with chargers located near popular recreational and historic stops. 

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