Drive Electric Minnesota

Overview:

Drive Electric Minnesota is a partnership of local and state government, our largest utility, private business and nonprofit entities working in collaboration to bring electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in charging infrastructure to Minnesota. Our goals include encouraging the deployment of EVs and the establishment of a charging station infrastructure through public-private partnerships, financial incentives, education, technical support and public policy.

We plan to install about 30 plug-in charging stations throughout the metro area in ramps, flat lots and on-street locations. Four to six of these publically available charging stations will be solar powered. Many of these plug-in charging stations will be located in the Energy Innovation Corridor adjacent to the light rail line that will connect the cities of Saint Paul and Minneapolis.

Our partners at the City of Minneapolis, City of Saint Paul, Hennepin County, Metropolitan Airport Commission, Ramsey County, State of Minnesota and Xcel Energy have purchased Ford Transit Connect plug in electric vehicles. By doing so, they are testing and evaluating the EV’s operational performance, with special consideration toward Minnesota’s extreme climate conditions as businesses and residents contemplate purchasing EVs of their own. Check out the Drive Electric Minnesota Fact Sheet for more information.

Benefits:

More than a third of all Minnesota’s air pollutant emissions come from cars and trucks. EVs have zero emissions from the tailpipe and if the electricity to charge an EV comes from 100 percent solar or wind power, there is no air pollution created during the generation of the electricity or during the EV’s use. EVs can be part of solving some of our air pollution problems.

  • Efficient: An electric motor is more efficient than a combustion engine, and therefore less expensive to operate. Typically it costs 2 to 3 cents per mile for electricity to power an EV.
  • Simple: Electric motors have fewer moving parts than a gasoline engine, which means less maintenance. For example, EVs do not have transmissions or require oil and coolant changes.
  • Quiet: An electric motor is very quiet when running and silent when not in motion.
  • Locally-generated renewable energy: Electricity can be produced in many ways, some of them right at your home. EV owners who charge EV batteries with a household solar system or who participate in a voluntary green energy program, like Windsource®, drive an emissions-free vehicle.
  • Energy Independence: EVs reduce our dependence on imported fossil fuels.

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Project Partners:

Is your organization interested in joining Drive Electric Minnesota?

Inquires can be directed to info@driveelectricmn.org

Energy Innovation Corridor fact sheet

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