Considering Cape Girardeau's place in a coming EV world

A comparatively small number of Americans currently have an electric vehicle but government officials, automakers and a growing number of U.S. municipalities say factors such as fossil fuel prices and environmental concerns are decidedly pointing to a plug-in future.

Among states, California boasts the highest percentage of U.S. EV users at 6%, according to Olsson, the Overland Park, Kansas-based consultant hired by Cape Girardeau-based Southeast Metropolitan Planning Organization (SEMPO).

SEMPO, which holds public meetings monthly at Cape Girardeau's Osage Centre, is a federally mandated and funded policy-making organization overseeing transportation planning for the Cape Girardeau-Jackson urbanized area.

Olsson, at SEMPO's behest, authored a 71-page EV readiness plan, which SEMPO members will discuss at their Aug. 17 meeting.

SEMPO authorized the plan, according to the document delivered to the transportation agency this summer, "to inform the general public, transportation agencies, EV stakeholders, private businesses and local government entities of the advent of increased EV ownership and EV infrastructure deployment within the SEMPO (region)," an area including the cities of Cape Girardeau and Jackson, portions of Cape Girardeau and Scott counties and portions of East Cape Girardeau, Illinois, and Alexander County, Illinois.

Olsson further states the local plan is "part of a nationwide effort to prepare local governments for the deployment of EVs."

Alex McElroy, executive director of Cape Girardeau-based Southeast Metropolitan Planning Organization (SEMPO), shows the draft of a new electric vehicle readiness plan, which SEMPO members will discuss at their upcoming Aug. 17 meeting. The plan, which could be formally adopted at SEMPO's September meeting, will be a resource as the region moves into an EV future, McElroy said.Jeff Long

State

Missouri is far behind the Golden State in moving toward electric vehicles, with only 6,740 registered EV vehicles total in the Show Me State in May, according to Chicago-based car buying app CoPilot.

Sales to-date of electric vehicles in SEMPO's region, said Olsson, "are not tracked."

OIsson's report show EV sales account for just under 5% of U.S. annual vehicle sales currently.

CoPilot also said Missouri has 1,053 charging stations, which the app reports is No. 14 in the U.S.

"Missouri is set to receive $99 million over five years for EV build out through the bipartisan infrastructure law — for charging stations," said Alex McElroy, SEMPO's executive director.

Local

The Olsson report shows a total of seven charging station locations in Cape Girardeau County — with all but one considered non-networked.

• Best Western Plus Hotel, 3003 S. Old Orchard Road, Jackson
• Winks convenience store, 2505 Veterans Memorial Drive, Cape Girardeau (Tesla)
• John Sinclair Nissan, 478 Siemers Drive, Cape Girardeau
• Arena Building, 410 Kiwanis Drive, Cape Girardeau
• Cape Girardeau City Hall, 44 N. Lorimier St., Cape Girardeau
• Schnucks, 19 S. Kingshighway, Cape Girardeau
• Century Casino Cape Girardeau, 777 N. Main St., Cape Girardeau

Challenge

The biggest barrier to moving toward EV, according to Olsson, is initial purchase price. EVs simply cost more than similarly sized gas-powered cars. Industry forecasts, however, suggest increased production and improved technology will eventually make electric vehicles more affordable for the consumer.

Once purchased, EVs — assuming the ready availability of charging stations for drivers — should save consumers money, since charging and maintaining a plug-in EV is generally much less expensive than keeping a vehicle powered by fossil fuels on the road.

Automakers

Olsson's report shows at least four manufacturers are hedging their bets Americans will start embracing EVs relatively soon.

• Volvo has pledged 50% of its vehicle offerings will be EV by 2025
• General Motors has vowed all light-duty cars and SUVs will be EV by 2035
• Ford expects 40% of global sales will be EV by 2030
• Volkswagen said it anticipates 50% of U.S. sales will be EV by 2030

Input

"The SEMPO EV Readiness Plan is extremely thorough, not just in identifying current and future trends and needs for the owners of electric vehicles, but also the problems in the overall system that will need to be overcome in order to provide the energy needed in this growing industry," said Cape Girardeau Mayor Stacy Kinder.

"When I read that one super-fast charger's maximum demand is roughly the same as that required to power 40 homes (as stated in the SEMPO report), my eyebrows were raised. Magnify that to multiple chargers — imagine a super-fast charging station the size of a normal gas station — and it becomes an issue city governments and power companies must consider in determining the effects on an aging grid or electricity needs to local neighborhoods and businesses. That work has certainly begun, but good ongoing communication and decision-making will be needed," Kinder, who assumed the mayoralty in April, told the Southeast Missourian.

Recommendations

Olsson outlined four recommendations for "stakeholders," all those interested and involved in EVs' future, to follow.

• Adapt transportation policy to remove legal and institutional barriers for installing charging stations.
• Facilitate charging station network expansion through public-private partnerships.
• Educate the public about charging station availability through signage, websites and local media.
• Coordinate with the Missouri Department of Transportation to "harmonize" interstate corridor electrification efforts.

Last word

"Our main goal is to raise awareness for people to be able to access information more specific to our area," McElroy said in deciding, with the SEMPO board concurrence, to pursue a consultant about an EV-readiness plan.

"I was finding EV-readiness plans out there but a lot of them were on the West Coast. What might work for California might not be best suited for Southeast Missouri."

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