Planning and policy guidelines for introducing electric vehicles into the community

This paper is designed to assist communities with the successful introduction, integration and support of electric vehicles. It provides an introductory look at electric vehicle technology and its application within the community, and should act as a springboard for further investigation and plan development for interested communities. This paper outlines the basic history of electric vehicle technology, the recent forces which have prompted increased research and development, and the leading causes for this evolution in personal transportation. The core of the document describes the steps a community will need to take in order to successfully develop a local electric vehicle program. Initial steps include developing community goals, understanding the community and its transportation environment, and creating an organizational structure to successfully develop a local Electric Vehicle Action Plan. The organizational structure provided is divided into three basic elements; Policy, Infrastructure, and Public Awareness. The analysis of each element includes the identification and discussion of the critical issues, a description of the key participants who should be involved, and recommended methodology for initiating and supporting local electric vehicle commercialization. Furthermore, each element includes a short analysis of three separate market niches that are ripe for early electric vehicle introduction. These applications can be used by the community to develop a local electric vehicle demonstration program and establish a foundation on which to build an electric vehicle community. This paper, if used to its potential, can help communities develop a program which will successfully introduce and integrate electric vehicles into the local transportation mix and bring America a little closer to a sustainable transportation system.Department of Urban PlanningThesis (M.U.R.P.