Top 15 States Winning at Vehicle Electrification

Transportation's Struggle with Greenhouse Gases

As the planet heats up and climate change continues to make headlines, the focus continues to be put on the trucking and transportation industries. When the Environmental Protection Agency assessed the origin of greenhouse gas emissions in 2019, they found that the transportation sector accounted for 29% – the largest share of all emissions.

As a result, electric vehicle (EV) use is being increasingly researched and implemented to reduce the emissions caused by the industry. The American Council for Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) recently released a study in early 2021 to evaluate nationwide progress on electrification policies and programs.

States Leading in Transportation Electrification

The ACEEE's findings report that these are the 15 states making the most progress with EV policy and program adoption:

1. California
2. New York
3. District of Columbia
4. Maryland
5. Massachusetts
6. Washington
7. Vermont
8. Colorado
9. Oregon
10. New Jersey
11. Hawaii
12. Minnesota
13. Connecticut
14. Nevada
15. Rhode Island

The ACEEE noted that California has paved the way for EV adoption in five out of the six categories that it used to rank states during this study. It is the only state that has set deadlines for electrifying transit buses, heavy-duty trucks and commercial vehicles, and adopting statewide building codes that require new buildings and houses to be wired for EV charging.

California and New York are also among only a few states that are working to ensure equitable access to electrified transportation, creating targeted programs for low-income, economically distressed, and environmental justice communities. The ACEEE noted in its study that this is still an area where all states need to improve.

States Lagging Behind in Electrification

In the back half of the states that are making strides in adopting EV programs and policies are:

1. Virginia
2. Maine
3. Pennsylvania
4. North Carolina
5. Tennessee
6. Utah
7. Florida
8. Illinois
9. Delaware
10. Arizona
11. Missouri
12. Georgia
13. Texas
14. Kansas, Michigan, and New Mexico

Although the ACEEE reported that all states "still have considerable room to improve their policies supporting Evs and EV charging infrastructure," it did note that most states are in the planning and goal-setting stages for these changes.

Other National Electrification Findings

While some states were not given a ranking in the study, the ACEEE also noted the most common actions taken by all states:

• Planning for more EVs and EV charging options: 23 states
• Offering incentives such as rebates, tax credits, and grants to buy large electric pickups and delivery trucks: 27 states
• Using federal funds to buy electric transit buses: 48 states
• Utility programs that offer lower electric rates at preferred times for Level 2 EV charging: 36 states
• Utility funding to spur EV and EV-charging adoption in low-income and environmental justice communities: 15 states

What You Can Do to Reduce Emissions

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Check out our full haul of heavy-duty everything and keep your vehicle within the emissions standards of your state at the right price point for your truck or fleet!