Local EV readiness plan given final OK

A 193-page Plug-in Electric Vehicle Readiness Plan was approved by a local transportation council Wednesday, Nov. 16.

Alex McElroy,Southeast Metropolitan Planning Organization executive director

"Drafts of the plan have circulated since May and we've had several rounds of comments incorporated making for rather large appendices," said Alex McElroy, executive director of Cape Girardeau-based Southeast Metropolitan Planning Organization (SEMPO), noting in particular the input received from Cape Girardeau's EVTV Motor Verks.

The report was prepared for SEMPO by consultant Olsson, based in Overland Park, Kansas.

Cost & purpose

At $80,000, the EV readiness plan is the largest single expenditure in SEMPO's $247,734 budget for the current fiscal year, with the majority of the plan development cost paid out of federal funds.

According to SEMPO's budget document, the EV readiness plan "will provide recommendations to local governments and transportation areas in the SEMPO planning area to spur the adoption of electric vehicles through increased installations of charging stations as a means toward a more energy efficient transportation system."

Some key findings

The report provides a "reasonable estimation" of the number of motorists turning to electric vehicles in coming years, what Olsson calls "adoption" within the SEMPO region, which includes the cities of Cape Girardeau and Jackson, portions of Cape Girardeau and Scott counties in Missouri and parts of East Cape Girardeau village and Alexander County, Illinois.

"Though initial EV growth has been relatively slow to date, the increased availability of EV models and the addition of more public charging stations will lead to a significant rise in EVs on the road," the report predicted.

Within the SEMPO region, Olsson created a three-scenario "growth prediction" model by the year 2050.

• Low adoption: 25% saturation of auto market.
• Medium adoption: 50% saturation of auto market.
• High adoption: 75% saturation of auto market.

"The starting value in 2020 was estimated by assuming the EV adoption rate in the SEMPO region matched the adoption rate of the state of Missouri. The model assumes steady population growth of 1.87 percent per year (in the state) through 2050," Olsson explained.

Automakers & EV

Olsson's report said that by the end of 2020, there were 17 battery electric models on the market; by 2025, the consultant firm said there will be at least 81 more available for purchase by consumers.

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

Find out more

• Alternative Fuels Data Center (AFDC) has an online map showing electric vehicle charging stations in the U.S.: www.afdc.energy.gov/fuels/electricity_locations.html#/find/nearest?fuel=ELEC.
• EV Readiness Plan is available to view: www.southeastmpo.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/SEMPO-Electric-Vehicle-Readiness-Plan_FINAL_Spreads.pdf.

About SEMPO

Southeast Metropolitan Planning Organization is a federally mandated and funded policy-making organization that oversees transportation planning for an urbanized area. As the metropolitan planning organization for the Cape Girardeau-Jackson UA, SEMPO is responsible for meeting the federal metropolitan planning regulations for its specified geographic area.