National Poll Shows Strong Bipartisan Support for Plan to Expand Electric Vehicles - Typical Eh?

WASHINGTON, June 23, 2010; The Electrification Coalition (EC) today released the results of a national poll that showed across-the-board support for electric vehicles and the Coalition's plan--reflected in recent bipartisan legislation--to deploy them.

"The results of this poll surprised even us," EC President Robbie Diamond said. "Regardless of party affiliation, the American people are in favor of a national plan to deploy electric vehicles and infrastructure, starting in cities selected in a competitive process. Typical Americans have seen firsthand the consequences of our addiction to oil, and they not only understand the enormous potential of electric vehicles, but have made it clear that they will support policymakers who lead on this issue."

  Among other results, the poll showed that:
  --  Electric cars are seen favorably by majorities across party, ideology,
      and education level.
  --  Voters believe electric cars will lead to increased security, more
      jobs, and a cleaner environment.
  --  Voters support using tax credits, loan guarantees and other incentives
      to create a system for building and recharging electric cars.
  --  Voters overwhelmingly prefer a candidate who supports the proposal to
      employ temporary, targeted incentives to deploy electric vehicles in
      select geographic areas.
  --  Of particular appeal in the plan was its ability to test the
      deployment of electric vehicles in select areas instead of an
      immediate full national rollout, and immediate credits to offset costs
      of electric vehicles.
  --  The more voters heard about these proposals, the more they supported
      them.

The nationwide poll of 1,000 likely voters was conducted from May 26 through June 1 by The Mellman Group, Inc. and Ayres, McHenry & Associates, Inc. For full poll results, please go to http://electrificationcoalition.org/pollresults.pdf.

On May 27, Republicans and Democrats in both the House and the Senate introduced legislation designed to advance the wide-scale deployment of electric vehicles and to develop the infrastructure needed to support them. The legislation echoes recommendations put forward by the Electrification Coalition, in which geographic areas would compete to be selected as electrification deployment communities: specific areas in which targeted, temporary financial incentives are employed so that all of the elements of an electrified transportation system are deployed simultaneously.