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Plug-in Electric Vehicle Dialogue

Interest in plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) is perhaps at an all-time high. Nearly all major auto companies as well as several new start-ups will put PEVs on the road in the next 2 to 3 years. At the same time, the federal government has set a goal of having one million PEVs on the road by 2015. PEVs provide an opportunity to alleviate a number of pressing issues, from energy security to local air quality to global climate change, while presenting a transformative business opportunity for the auto industry.

Looking forward, the evolution of the PEV industry will require a number of new collaborative environments between auto manufacturers, electric utilities, government, NGOs, and other stakeholders. For PEVs to become practical for mainstream consumers, diverse entities will need to collaborate on a number of challenges slowing adoption of PEVs – for example, how can a consistent regulatory framework for PEV purchase and charging be developed? How can public and private investments in PEVs and accompanying infrastructure be optimized? And how can consumer decisions on purchasing PEVs be informed by the technology and value proposition offered by these vehicles?

To answer these and other questions, we convened the Plug-in Electric Vehicle Dialogue, a group of stakeholders encompassing the full spectrum of interests in PEV development. Beginning with two reports on the PEV state of play and a literature review of the current challenges facing the PEV market, the Plug-in Electric Vehicle Dialogue is developing an Action Plan aimed at accelerating PEV deployment.