Transportation Initiatives

NC Get Ready!

NC Get Ready! is a new initiative being piloted in the Triangle area, supported by a consortium of cities, government officials, industry leaders and not-for-profit organizations, including core team members Advanced Energy, Progress Energy, Duke Energy and the Rocky Mountain Institute. The project will facilitate the adoption of electric vehicles in North Carolina by accomplishing five key objectives:

• Facilitate stakeholder working groups to identify opportunities and explore/resolve issues and barriers associated with electrified transportation.
• Educate consumers on the viability of electric vehicles and hybrid plug-ins and overcome misconceptions or concerns that hinder the adoption of new technologies.
• Establish sound infrastructure to deliver a network of charging stations that meets the needs of vehicle owners without jeopardizing the stability of the power grid.
• Develop relationships with manufacturers of vehicles and vehicle components and ensure the availability of electric and plug-in hybrids in the North Carolina market. 
• Explore opportunities for economic development among vendors and manufacturers seeking a viable and forward-thinking location to grow their business.

Understanding the Issues
The use of electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles is hindered by a number of factors, some based in fact and some in misconception. Automobile manufacturers face an uncertain market in the best of economic times.  They have limited data to project the number of vehicles to be sold in any given area, and currently lack the infrastructure necessary to fully support the vehicles.  A primary objective of NC Get Ready! is to create an environment that fully supports the use of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, minimizing risk for automakers and ensuring availability for consumers in the area.

Vehicle availability is not synonymous with adoption. Initially, the cost for these vehicles will be higher than conventional vehicles, which may hinder prospective buyers or raise concerns for dealerships. Consumers are skittish of committing to technologies they perceive as unproven, and the availability of convenient fueling will be a key concern. NC Get Ready! will develop the necessary infrastructure to remove these obstacles and open the doors for electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles to take the road.

Moving Forward
Electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles must be charged while parked.  To create infrastructure, charging requirements must be addressed in terms of where vehicles may park.  Three categories are identified: Residential, Private Sector and Public Sector.

• Residential includes single and multi-family housing, as well as apartment complexes.  Charging should be accessible for all forms of parking: garage, driveway or parking lot.
• Private Sector charging includes parking at workplaces, shopping centers or other locations where neither the vehicle owner nor the municipality owns the parking space.
• Public charging includes on-street parking and any public lot or parking deck.

A number of initiatives are being considered in response to these needs.  Though there may be variation in cost for the vehicle or parking space owner, the infrastructure for the charging stations is consistent.  To ensure proper installation and safeguard consumers, training and certification will be provided.  “Plug-In Wired” will certify building contractors in wiring needed for charging stations, allowing them to create structures that are charge-ready even though a charging station itself may not be installed.  “Plug-In-Ready” will certify contractors on the installation of the actual charging stations, easily amending the certified wiring schematic. This also disperses the expense of creating a charging infrastructure, minimizing the upfront costs that can sometimes slow adoption of new technologies. 

Along with infrastructure, support will also be needed for maintaining and servicing the vehicles. While these vehicles are projected to have lower maintenance costs, a trained workforce must be available to service them. A major aspect of this project is to enable maintenance-providers with the tools and training necessary to support these new vehicles.  It is reasonable to anticipate job growth in both of these areas, given that a new market and product lines have been established.

Fulfilling that market requires a commitment to public education, helping consumers understand the vehicles' benefits and overcoming concerns that hinder their use.  The media must be engaged to report on infrastructure development, and public support from influential leaders in the state and nation is critical. It is vital for initial adopters to have a positive consumer experience that will contribute to widespread acceptance.  It must be easy for consumers to purchase vehicles and access charging stations, be aware of relevant tax credits, get charging stations installed and know the location of charging stations outside the home. 

Measuring the impact of these new technologies on consumers, businesses, economic prosperity and the environment is a key component in their sustainability. It is anticipated that an influx of new technology, as well as associated products and services, will encourage job growth, but it is just as important to assess improvement in air quality, decrease in associated health risks and reduction in foreign oil dependency to measure true success.

Engaging the Community
To ensure feasibility, understand requirements and build consensus, program administrator Advanced Energy will facilitate the following working groups. The collaborative input from business, industry, government and academia will greatly contribute to the project's viability.

• NC Get Ready! Steering Committee: To provide oversight and guidance; representation includes core team members, subject matter experts, government officials and other relevant organizations. 
• Infrastructure Working Group: To support development of viable charging infrastructure; representation includes utilities, construction, transit, architects, engineers, city planners, parking garage owners, electricians and business owners.
• Vehicle Facilitation Group:  To build a viable market and purchasing channels; representation includes fleet owners, leasing companies and lenders, dealerships, manufacturers and vehicle owners.
• Vehicle Technologies Working Group: To facilitate research and development of new or improved technologies; representation includes researchers, academics, automotive manufacturers, component manufacturers and infrastructure component developers.
• Standards Working Group: To quantify the issues and opportunities associated with drivers such as incentives and permits; representation includes legislative bodies, city planners, utilities and universities.

NC Get Ready! is one of the first initiatives in the nation making a true commitment to the widespread adoption of alternative automotive technologies – bringing cleaner air, better health, job growth, lower dependence on foreign oil and an even greater sense of pride in our community.

To learn more about this contact project managers Jeff Barghout and Katie Drye at NCGetReady@AdvancedEnergy.org.