Editor’s note: This commentary is by Darren Springer, who is general manager of Burlington Electric Department. Previously, he served as chief of staff to Gov. Peter Shumlin, deputy commissioner of the Vermont Public Service Department, and senior policy adviser and chief counsel to Sen. Bernie Sanders.
In a recent magazine review of two electric vehicles (EVs), the author stated a belief that, despite a positive review, many readers might say, “I wouldn’t buy either one.” The author goes on to say:
“On October 7, that was a sort-of passable answer. On October 8, the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issued humanity an unequivocal ultimatum: We have about a dozen years to limit the rise in temperature to 1.5 C to avoid the most terrifying consequences of global warming. … Like the Greatest Generation, we’re at war again with a monster. Our 2018 version of 1940’s B17 production lines need to spit out an arsenal of electric cars, and we need to start buying them like they’re war bonds.”
Automobile enthusiast magazines are not usually a source of such clarity when it comes to the need to rapidly transition our vehicle fleet away from fossil fuels to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Despite headwinds at the federal level, such as a proposed freeze in fuel economy standards and a phasing out of the EV tax credit for certain automakers, there is a similar urgency in communities and states across the country to make EVs more accessible and affordable for all.
In Vermont, the transportation sector represents our largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. Similarly, in Burlington, transportation is the largest source of local greenhouse gas emissions. At Burlington Electric Department, we see an opportunity to help our customers and all of our ratepayers benefit from efforts to expand electric transportation.
Our efforts are guided by a goal outlined by Mayor Miro Weinberger, and adopted in our 2018-19 Strategic Direction, of making Burlington a Net Zero Energy City by 2030. That vision involves creating a future where we utilize the electric grid to meet more of our transportation needs. BED is helping the city move toward the net zero goal in a variety of ways, including providing incentives to bring electric transit buses to Burlington, and offering instant rebates on electric bikes at local retail shops.
BED also is offering a comprehensive package to help our customers drive electric. We offer rebates on the purchase or lease of EVs and plug-in hybrids, with an increased rebate for low- and moderate-income customers to help make EVs more accessible for all. BED has an EV financing partnership with three local credit unions. We have developed a public charging station network with 26 charging ports around the city, and offer incentives for workplace charging stations. As of January 2019, we also offer a new home charging rate that will make charging an EV an even better deal for drivers.
Through BED’s new EV rate program, EV drivers who sign up for the new rate, install a qualifying home charging station, and schedule their vehicles to charge between 10 p.m. and noon the following day will receive a bill credit, reducing the EV charging rate to 8 cents per kilowatt hour. That means BED customers who sign up for the EV rate and only charge during the off-peak hours mentioned can fuel up using BED’s 100 percent renewably-sourced energy at the equivalent of approximately 60 cents per gallon of gas. All of the details are available at www.burlingtonelectric.com/EV.
While BED’s EV rate is a great deal for EV drivers, the best part of the new rate is that it will help more EV drivers charge off-peak and use the grid more efficiently. When we use power off-peak, we avoid the need for additional grid infrastructure investments and avoid additional costs, providing a benefit to all customers and ratepayers. Additionally, transitioning to EVs offers other benefits for our communities and our state. For example, Vermont sends over $1 billion annually out-of-state for fossil fuel purchases. Electric transportation, on the other hand, helps us use more of our own resources – through the local electric grid – instead of distant and finite fossil fuels.
The Motor Trend author was spot on in calling for a major effort to transition to EVs and plug-in hybrids. In Vermont, this transition would provide the opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, while also providing significant economic benefits. At BED we are proud to continue to offer innovative programs to spur greater adoption of EVs and plug-in hybrids to help meet our net zero goal and the goals in Vermont’s Renewable Energy Standard. With many new EVs and plug-in hybrids coming to market, including more all-wheel and four-wheel drive options, Vermonters have increasingly affordable and practical choices. We hope you will consider driving electric in the future.
