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It's Electric! Alternative Fuel Vehicles in Maine (February 2018)

Tuesday, February 06, 2018 5:13 PM | Anonymous

Electric Vehicles in Maine

Discussions around electric vehicles continue in Maine, particularly in light of the recent introduction of the Governor LePage-backed bill (LD 1806) that would impose a registration surcharge of $150 for gas-electric hybrid vehicles and $250 for all-electric vehicles. If passed, these proposed surcharge fees would be the highest in the country. In a recent Portland Press Herald Article, a Maine Department of Transportation representative stated that this fee is needed in order to assist in covering the cost of repairing roads, which is currently funded through the gasoline tax. State conservation groups and hybrid and electric vehicle owners have expressed concerns that the fee discourages the purchase of these vehicles without effectively addressing the gap in funding for maintaining and repairing roads throughout the State.

Electric Vehicles in New England, 2015 (EIA)

 State  EVs Per 1 Million People  EVs in Use
 Connecticut  358 1,284
 Maine  182  242
 Massachusetts  419 2,846
 New Hampshire  258  343
 Rhode Island  131  138
 Vermont  503  315
 New England Average  351  861
 United States Average  672  4,309

In 2015, Maine ranked 5th in New England for electric vehicles per capita and 4th for plug-in electric hybrids per capita.

VW Settlement

The Maine Department of Transportation, Department of Environmental Protection, and the Governor’s Energy Office are in the process of implementing 15% of the VW settlement (over $3 million) towards electric vehicle charging infrastructure in the State. Installing travel corridors are first priority. While Maine itself does not have many electric vehicles, the tourism industry has seen steady revenue and increases in visitors over the last four years. These visitors are coming from Canadian Providences, other New England states, the mid-Atlantic, and from overseas. Those visitors driving to Maine are increasingly coming by electric vehicle, requiring Maine to meet increased charging infrastructure needs to continue tourism revenue and visitor growth. 

Tesla Destination Charging - Host Sites Needed

Tesla has partnered with ReVision Energy to install Tesla wall and pedestal level 2 chargers (minimum of four chargers per site) across New England. The selected hosts will receive a valuable charging amenity for little or no cost and cross-marketing from Tesla to attract customers. ReVision is looking for ideas for host locations, including but not limited to: large employers, retail outlets, sports venues, hotels, resorts, restaurants, golf courses, hospitals, large parking lots, recreation destinations, ski resorts, breweries, municipalities, and nonprofits. If you have an idea for a host site, or if your business is interested, please contact Barry Woods, Director of Electric Vehicle Innovation of ReVision Energy at (207) 494-4440. 

E2Tech: Environmental & Energy Technology Council of Maine


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