An electric car being recharged. Oregon and seven other states are pledging to put 3.3 million such zero-emission vehicles on the road by 2025.
Washington Department of Transportation
The governors of Oregon and seven other states pledged Thursday to put 3.3 million zero-emission vehicles on the road by 2025.
Their goals include reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving air quality and public health and boosting the economy.
The states make up 25 percent of the U.S. vehicle market. Representatives from all eight states were in Sacramento, Calif. to sign a memorandum of understanding. It lays out several steps the states intend to take. Among them:
Align building codes to make it easier to construct electric car charging stations
Include zero-emission vehicles in public fleets
Consider incentives to promote zero emission vehicles
Look into establishing favorable electricity rates for home charging systems; and Develop common standards for roadway signs and charging networks
Increase infrastructure and make other changes to help increase market share for electric cars, hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids.
The other states involved are California, New York, Massachusetts, Maryland, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Vermont. The eight states together represent about 23 percent of the U.S. auto market.
“This initiative fulfills so many of Oregon’s goals and will spur the kind of innovation that supports a healthy and vibrant economy,” Oregon. Gov. John Kitzhaber said in a statement.