Dive Brief:

• A group of stakeholders has formed the Alliance for Transportation Electrification (ATE), a nonprofit organization that wants to boost the use of electric vehicles (EV). Members include utilities, engineering firms, automotive companies and EV equipment suppliers.
• The nonprofit will promote open standards, guide states' EV policies and promote the growth of EV and electric grid infrastructure.
• The organization hopes to help members of both the electric power industry and transportation sector navigate political and regulatory hurdles.

Dive Insight:

The transportation sector and the electric power sector traditionally have been separate industries, but ATE acknowledges that the two are rapidly converging. Much attention is currently paid to preparing the grid for a boom in electric cars on the roads. But many public transit systems — such as those in Stockton, CA and Nashville — already use or have plans to incorporate electric buses and light rail systems, which also stresses the grid. ATE appears ready to address the needs of both personal and public electric transportation.

ATE wishes to accelerate the use of EVs and the infrastructure necessary to support them in a way that's efficient and fair for all stakeholders. It's focusing its efforts mostly on transportation at the state and local levels instead of at the federal level. 

The timing of this nonprofit group's formation shows the growing interest in EVs, as it come just as a diverse group of stakeholders drafted and signed the Transportation Electrification Accord. That pact offers education and guidance for policymakers on how to move forward with incorporating more EVs and infrastructure into cities. The non-binding accord could provide a solid backbone for ATE's operations and ensuring that all EV stakeholders are on the same page as the industry evolves.