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An Important Move Forward for Electric Vehicles

Howard County, Maryland has passed legislation to require EV charging infrastructure at new residential construction.

This legislation is one of the first of its kind outside of California. In November, 2017, the city of Atlanta adopted an EV charging infrastructure readiness requirement for new construction. At the time, Georgia ranked second behind California for sales of electric vehicles.

The Howard County Council voted unanimously to approve CB76-2018 sponsored by Councilwoman Jen Terrasa who said, “This is an important move forward for electric vehicles and for the environment.”

A public hearing on CB76 was held on October 15, 2018 and brought out a number of EV drivers, future EV drivers and organizations such as the Howard County Citizens Association to testify in support of the bill.

The Maryland Building Industry Association (MBIA) and the Maryland Multi-Housing Association (MMHA) opposed the bill. Some of their concerns were addressed by an amendment that included language to clarify that the bill applied only to new construction.

Councilwoman Terrasa summarized the bill:

“This legislation does two things. For newly constructed communities with townhomes without garages or driveways, apartments, or condos, a community-accessible electric vehicle charging station must be installed at the ratio of 1 charging station per 25 units. For newly constructed single family homes or townhomes with garages or driveways, the developer is required to install what wiring so that the homeowner can easily complete the installation of a charging unit.”

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U.S. Senator John Barrasso, chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, introduced The Fairness for Every Driver Act, S.3559 which seeks to repeal the federal electric vehicle tax credit which currently offers up to $7,500 on new EV purchases. Senator Barrasso, who represents Wyoming, said, “The electric vehicle tax credit largely benefits the wealthiest Americans and costs taxpayers billions of dollars.”

“This legislation will save billions in taxpayer funds by ending the federal electric vehicle tax credits and strengthen the Highway Trust Fund by ensuring that alternative fuel vehicle drivers pay into it,” said Barrasso. “My legislation levels the playing field for all drivers across America. Gas, electric, and alternative fuel vehicles use the same roads. All should contribute to maintain them.”

The Fairness for Every Driver Act will require a federal highway user fee on alternative fuel vehicles that will be applied to the Highway Trust Fund.

Specifically, the legislation would:

• Terminate and repeal the federal electric vehicle tax credit up to $7,500 per new electric vehicle purchased for use in the U.S.;
• Impose a federal highway user fee on alternative fuel vehicles;
• Require that all user fees be collected with the user’s tax return; and
• Ensure the transfer of federal highway user fees into the Highway Trust Fund.

A House bill, H.R.6274, sponsored by Rep. Peter Welch of Vermont seeks to extend the EV tax credit for ten years and make the credit available to an unlimited number of EV buyers.

Read the text of Sen. Barrasso’s legislation here.

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Council Bill CB76 Introduced by Jen Terrasa

Howard County, Maryland Councilwoman Jen Terrasa has introduced a bill that will require new multi-unit residential construction to have electric vehicle charging equipment and require new townhouses and single family detached homes to be prepared with wiring and equipment for future installation of a home EV charging station.

If passed, proposed bill CB76-2018 would require at least one J-1772 Level 2 charging connector for each 25 residential units for new occupancies of multi-unit residential buildings including condominiums and co-ops.

A public hearing on CB76 is scheduled for October 15, 2018 at 7:00 PM at the Howard County Council Meeting at the George Howard Building, 3430 Court House Drive, Ellicott City, MD 21043.

Click here to contact Howard County Council Members.

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Will Likely End Beverly Hills Ban on PHEV Charging

The City of Beverly Hills, California changed their Electric Vehicle Charging Policy on April 2, 2018 in an effort designed to encourage more efficient use of the city’s 35 public charging stations. One of the key changes to the policy was to prohibit plug-in hybrid electric vehicles from charging.

The policy had been developed by the Beverly Hills Traffic & Parking Commission and approved by the City Council and implemented EV charging fees, defined signage to reserve charging spots exclusively for battery-only electric vehicles and implemented a new enforcement regulation to fine and/or tow all other vehicles including plug-in hybrids, gas-only vehicles and any BEV not actively charging.

Bill SB 1000, authored by California State Senator Ricardo Lara, passed the legislature and was signed by Gov. Brown last week. The bill contained a provision that prohibited local municipalities from restricting access to public EV charging stations that are funded using state or ratepayer money.

65850.9. (a) A city, county, or city and county shall not restrict which types of electric vehicles, including, but not limited to, plug-in hybrid vehicles, may access an electric vehicle charging station approved for passenger vehicles that both is publicly accessible and the construction of which was funded, at least in part, by the state or through moneys collected from ratepayers.

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