Celebrate Earth Day With EV Connect
In 1970, as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was taking shape, the U.S. celebrated its first Earth Day. It catapulted the nascent environmental movement into the spotlight and changed the trajectory of U.S. policy.
Now, 53 years later, the global environmental movement has come a long way. Landmark legislation like the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act has had an enormous impact, paving the way for countless victories large and small. In recent years, the gradual transition away from fossil fuels has gained steam. Electric vehicles (EVs) are a key component of this transition, and sustainable cars are quickly transforming from luxury items to the standard for vehicle manufacturing.
The pace of change for eco-friendly transportation represents a big victory for the environmental movement, and there’s much to celebrate this Earth Day. This year’s theme is “Invest in Our Planet,” and the EV movement shows some clear signs we’re doing just that. Here are four things we’re celebrating at EV Connect for Earth Day 2023.
EV Adoption Is on the Rise
Globally, EV sales have surged forward in recent years, and they’re expected to continue improving over the next decade. Despite significant downward pressure on the broader vehicle market in 2022, battery electric vehicles (BEVs) saw an impressive 59% sales growth for the year.
Spurred on by aggressive federal investment through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and buoyed by more manufacturers entering the EV market, EV manufacturing is expected to pass 50% of total vehicle production by 2030. As more Americans make sustainable car choices and businesses electrify their commercial fleets, this further accelerates adoption.
The EV Charging Grid Is Growing
Of course, growing EV adoption means little without an expanded charging network. But here, too, there’s reason to celebrate for Earth Day.
The IRA and the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program invested heavily in building the national EV charging infrastructure. Together, the two laws enable state agencies, businesses and individual residents to access credits for installing EV chargers in a wide range of locations, from homes and businesses to interstate corridors and rural areas.
Through investments like these, the Biden Administration aims to grow the number of public chargers in the U.S. from 130,000 today to more than 500,000 by 2030. It’s an ambitious but worthy goal, considering the number of sustainable cars that will need charging in the near future.
Another bright spot in the nation’s charging infrastructure is the growing presence of bidirectional chargers. This technology makes it possible for EVs to serve as an expanded electrical grid, storing power and returning it as needed to more efficiently offset demand. This is critical for helping the nation’s cities manage aging electrical grids that face increasing electrical demand.
Commercial EV Chargers Are Changing the Game
As important as public investment is, it’s only part of the puzzle of building out a sufficient EV charging infrastructure. To truly meet the changing needs of this expanding network of eco-friendly transportation, private businesses, and developers must get in on the action, too. The good news is that many are jumping in head first.
Commercial charging stations play a critical role in encouraging EV adoption. Work is the second most popular place to charge, so commercial charging makes the sustainable car choice easier for countless workers. Not only that but when commercial stations are open to the public, it means more charging options for everyone — and more revenue opportunities for businesses.
Over the past year, EV Connect has supported businesses in a wide range of industries as they work to install both private and public EV charging stations. From apartments and hotels to educational institutions and healthcare facilities, we’ve helped businesses plan, install and operate their stations and networks. Plus, our open-standard charging software makes charging more accessible for anyone in these businesses.
Solar and EVs Make a Perfect Pair
For Earth Day, it’s worth celebrating anything that energizes the environmental movement. But when two distinct movements blend to create an extra spark, that’s worth a few extra hand claps. And that’s exactly what’s happening with solar power and electric vehicles.
These two technologies fit together perfectly. When you pair solar power generation with a battery-powered car, you further limit your dependence on fossil fuels for energy. Add in bidirectional charging, and your EV car or fleet can even serve as a backup battery for your house or business for times when solar energy is less abundant. It may not take you fully off the grid, but it can get you close.
An EV Charging Management Software partner like EV Connect can help individuals and businesses take this even further by automating load management to take advantage of peak-time savings.
Let’s Keep Moving Forward
The environmental movement may have a long way to go, but it’s certainly made a big impact in just over half a century. Earth Day is a good reminder of how much there is to celebrate, even as we keep working toward a more sustainable future.
EV Connect is proud to continue playing a part in this important movement and eager to invest in more EV and EV Charging progress for the year ahead. Reach out today, and let’s start a project we can celebrate together come to next Earth Day.
Sources
United States Environmetal Protection Agency - EPA History: Earth Day
Earthday.org - EARTHDAY.ORG ANNOUNCES THEME FOR EARTH DAY 2023: “INVEST IN OUR PLANET”
Investing News Network - EV Market Forecast 2023: Top Trends That Will Affect EVs in 2023
The White House - FACT SHEET: Biden-Harris Administration Announces New Standards and Major Progress for a Made-in-America National Network of Electric Vehicle Chargers