While it has certainly been a difficult session for most energy issues, three recently introduced bills related to electric vehicles would be a step in the right direction.

The bill that is most likely to have a chance of progressing this session (HF 1365/SF 1087) would grant electric vehicle drivers free access to the high-occupancy vehicle lanes. To ensure that EVs would not overwhelm the lanes, the Minnesota Department of Transportation would be responsible for determining a suitable number of free EV permits. This perk would incentivize early adopters of EVs at very little or no expense to the state as EV drivers would be responsible for covering the cost of issuing the permit.

A second bill (HF 1366/SF 1085) would provide a thirty percent tax credit for individuals or companies that install “alternative fuel infrastructure,” including EV charging stations and fuel tanks for other “alternative fuels” such as hydrogen or E85. A third bill (HF 1364/SF 1086) would provide a sales tax exemption of up to $2,000 off the purchase of a new electric vehicle. While these two bills seem unlikely to progress this session, they provide a starting point for further discussions next session.

Meanwhile, Fresh Energy is working with our partners at the Drive Electric Minnesota coalition to create a permitting process for EV charging stations in Minnesota that is fast, easy, safe, inexpensive, and uniform. Right now, if you were to buy an electric vehicle and a charging station for your garage, it could take anywhere from 1-30 days to get a permit for your charging station. We plan on finding a solution that gets us close to the one-day turnaround that will be most convenient for EV customers. Removing small barriers like this will be important for ensuring a successful launch for electric vehicles in the state.

While it has certainly been a difficult session for most energy issues, three recently introduced bills related to electric vehicles would be a step in the right direction.