Ford names 25 top EV-ready cities in the U.S.
Ford released its list of the top 25 electric-vehicle-ready cities in the U.S.
From New York City to Seattle, Ford this week named 25 U.S. cities that are paving the way for an influx of electric vehicles.
By the end of 2012 there will be more than 20 plug-in vehicles on the market, said Mike Tinskey, manager of vehicle electrification and infrastructure for Ford. And major metropolitan areas and utility companies are working together to provide an infrastructure for public charging stations.
"Over the next 12 months we will see at least 18,000 new charge stations in U.S. cities," Tinskey said. "People will start seeing charge stations in some pretty familiar places."
The Ford Focus EV will be available by the end of 2011, and many more electric vehicles makes from other automakers will be available over the next two years. Ford has complied the list to not only recognize which cities are getting EV-ready, but also to encourage other cities to start preparing, Tinskey said.
Though the list of cities is diverse, it's not surprising that most of the cities flank the coasts while others dot the middle of the map. Honolulu is included, but Tinskey said pretty much the whole island of Oahu is getting EV-ready.
The greater San Francisco Bay Area, not surprisingly, is also a larger geographical area that made it to the map.
According to Tinskey, it's up to city governments to streamline the permit process for the installation of EV charging stations. And it's up to local utility companies to offer incentives for off-peak charging.
"A lot of decisions need to be made, like what the signage should look like, and whether or not local businesses can charge for the electricity, or just for the parking spot," Tinskey said. "It ends up being an equal pull from the city and the local electric company. Then add a company like Ford, and it becomes the three-legged stool."