Janelle Irwin Taylor
Rep. Dan Daley wants to lay the foundation for a robust network of electric vehicle charging stations throughout Florida.
Daley filed a bill (HB 943) Friday that calls for a statewide master plan to expand access to charging stations throughout Florida’s highway system.
Sen. Jose Javier Rodriguez is sponsoring an identical bill (SB 452) in the upper chamber.
The bills call for a completed master plan by July 21, 2021. The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Service’s Office of Energy would coordinate with Florida Clean Cities Coalitions designated by the U.S. Department of Energy to develop the plan.
Goals for the plan would include identifying optimal locations on state highways for charging stations that would facilitate both short and long-range travel with electric vehicles.
Access to charging stations remains a barrier to electric vehicle ownership in the state. Most electric vehicles on the market today can go about 100 miles on one charge. A Tesla Model S long-range car can go 373 miles, but that’s one of the more costly electric vehicles on the market with a retail price of nearly $80,000.
The pair of bills would also require plans for electric vehicle charging stations to serve Florida’s evacuation routes.
The master plan would address the types of charging stations currently on the market and those that might be available in the future. Getting a full charge can take anywhere from 35 minutes using a rapid charger to eight hours using a less powerful charger, more suitable for home use.
The master plan would also address economic impact and would evaluate potential for local, state and federal partnerships.
It would also recommend specific projects.
If approved, the master plan would be updated every year by July 1 to keep current with emerging technology.
Earlier in the week, Sen. Jeff Brandes filed legislation that would incorporate emerging innovative technologies into the Florida Department of Transportation’s mission and establish a grant program to increase electric vehicle charging stations throughout the state.
3 comments
Tom
December 17, 2019 at 9:24 am
Great idea. The price to charge the vehicle should pay for the cost of installation of the charging stations. It should not be free.
Smart Cities Supporter
December 17, 2019 at 12:40 pm
This bill could have significant impact in shaping Florida’s future. Electric cars are really being held back by the lack of charging stations. Changing this image by providing them, especially on critical corridors where you can now pull off at any exit and get gasoline, would make would-be electric car owners much more likely to buy them. I hope this gains the support it needs to pass.
Sofphie
December 19, 2019 at 4:48 am
Good for Florida!
EV is the most growing market!
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