#4 – Eau Claire – A Roadmap to EV Adoption
In 2019, the city of Eau Claire released a first of its kind Electric Vehicle (EV) roadmap. The plan included ambitious goals to get 8,000 EVs to residents and to install 160 charging stations by 2030. This roadmap is part of larger plan to get the city of Eau Claire to become carbon neutral. “We’re looking at electrifying our fleet, our police vehicles, our snowplows and city buses. But our goal also includes electrifying every car in the city of Eau Claire. That means investing in charging stations and making it easier for people to own an electric car,” said City Council Member Kate Beaton. “It also means energy conservation when it comes to transportation and investing in infrastructure that makes it easier for people to not use their car, which obviously is good for our carbon goals but also the community’s health.”
Eau Claire’s ongoing commitment to reducing emissions and investing in electric vehicles will support local economic growth and have positive climate impacts. By developing a 10-year workplan with focused strategies, Eau Claire is set to be an EV and climate leader in Wisconsin. Our communities need more innovative leaders, like those in Eau Claire who strive to meet both local transportation needs and address climate change. Three cheers to Eau Claire!
Check out our previous entries in the Forward Thinking series:
#3 – La Crosse Municipal Transit – Embracing the Future