Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm were at the annual meeting of the Transportation Research Board (TRB) to talk about recent policies linked to electric vehicles (EV) that are helping to address climate change and improve safety across mobility corridors.
“The industry is going electric,” said Buttigieg. “It’s true here and it’s true around the world.”
“There’s enormous opportunity,” he added, pointing to large automobile manufacturers and smaller firms participating in the EV marketplace.
Granholm agreed with Buttigieg’s sentiment, emphasizing the Biden administration’s policy landscape on EVs.
“Policy really does make a difference,” she told the TRB audience. “It makes a difference for the climate. It makes a difference for communities on the ground. We’re very excited about that.”
Biden administration investments in EV charging infrastructure that were approved in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) promise to continue to facilitate access to the technology, the secretaries said.
Their remarks came on the heels of the Biden administration’s announcement of a multi-agency blueprint meant to reduce greenhouse emissions throughout the transportation sector over the coming decades. The expansion of EVs and programs related to sustainable fuels is expected to assist the sector in addressing climate change and expanding job growth.
“Under the leadership of President Biden, EPA is working with our federal partners to aggressively reduce pollution that is harming people and our planet — while saving families money at the same time,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in a statement accompanying the release of the blueprint. “At EPA, our priority is to protect public health, especially in overburdened communities, while advancing the president’s ambitious climate agenda. This blueprint is a step forward in delivering on those goals and accelerating the transition to a clean transportation future.”
The IIJA paved the way for the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation. The office’s aim is to help set up an electric vehicle charging network nationwide. The IIJA dedicated about $8 billion for programs related to electric vehicles.
According to background the Biden administration provided, “The office will be a critical component in the implementation of the [bipartisan infrastructure law], providing support and expertise to a multitude of programs that seek to deploy a network of electric vehicle chargers, zero-emission fueling infrastructure, and zero-emission transit and school buses. The scope of the joint office will continue to evolve as directed by both departments.”
Electric vehicles also were a highlight of DOT’s research and development outlook through fiscal 2026. The strategic road map for transportation technology promotes innovative advancements in EVs.
To promote sustainability, DOT forecasts, “the vast majority of passenger vehicles and buses are hybrid or fully electric and the efficiency of internal combustion engines is greatly improved.”
“Advances in battery and charging technology make long-range, fast-charging, safe and affordable electric vehicles the default options for consumers, motor carriers and transit agencies,” according to the strategic plan.
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Source: TTNews.com
