National Grid unveiled its new EV Road Trip, an effort to raise awareness around the location of charging infrastructure and accelerate adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) across New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. As summer arrives and 7 in 10 Americans hit the road, National Grid is offering an online guide to tourist spots in the Northeast and ways to see them sustainably and conveniently in an EV.
The initiative is the latest effort by National Grid, a Principal Partner of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP-26), to expand clean energy adoption across the Northeast. One of the ways National Grid has committed to combating climate change across the Northeast is through transportation electrification. That includes investing $200 million in deploying 19,000 charging stations, helping to lower charging costs through managed charging programs, supporting fleets to develop electrification road maps and install charging, as well as promoting general EV awareness.
“With so many of our customers planning to travel this summer, we are encouraging both safety and sustainability,” said Badar Khan, US President of National Grid. “Traveling by electric vehicle is one way to explore the Northeast while emitting less carbon. The Road Trip is designed to demonstrate the availability of charging infrastructure so that we can reduce range anxiety and encourage more people to drive electric.”
The EV Road Trip comes in the wake of a new report from the International Energy Agency noting that, while the technology to achieve reductions in emissions exists, it has not been deployed fast enough. This issue is most apparent in transportation, the nation’s largest source of emissions. Despite advocacy from the Biden Administration and the introduction of more EV models, research shows consumers remain concerned over inadequate charging infrastructure.
With travel set to rise 60% over the next few weeks as vaccines reduce COVID-19 infection rates, the EV Road Trip seeks to assure travelers that sustainability and summer traditions can go hand-in-hand. The EV Road Trip encompasses more than 40 cultural, natural and historical sites offering families an easy and safe summer escape without using a drop of gas. Those stops include:
- Massachusetts – The Berkshires, Boston Common, Salem Witch Trials Memorial and Cape Cod beaches
- New York – Niagara Falls, Lake George, Schenectady, Albany and the Catskills
- Rhode Island – Roger Williams Park Zoo, The Breakers and Narragansett Beach
The EV Road Trip is one of many initiatives National Grid has implemented to address transportation emissions. These include efforts to partner with cities to add more electric buses—for schools and commuters—across the National Grid service territory. In addition, National Grid recently joined the Electric Highway Coalition, which will further enable access to charging stations near highways across the United States. The Company has also committed to electrify its own light duty vehicle fleet 100% by 2030 and has already invested in electrifying its field equipment.
