{"id":34621,"date":"2022-03-03T10:09:04","date_gmt":"2022-03-03T16:09:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/?p=34621"},"modified":"2022-03-03T10:09:04","modified_gmt":"2022-03-03T16:09:04","slug":"the-road-to-electric-oklahoma-navigates-transition-to-embracing-electric-vehicles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/2022\/03\/03\/the-road-to-electric-oklahoma-navigates-transition-to-embracing-electric-vehicles\/","title":{"rendered":"The road to electric: Oklahoma navigates transition to embracing electric vehicles"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"width: 100%; height: 200px; margin-bottom: 20px; border-radius: 6px; overflow: hidden;\"><iframe style=\"width: 100%; height: 200px;\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\" seamless src=\"https:\/\/player.captivate.fm\/episode\/12625132-d02f-4ef1-b791-c1d8f4a58518\"><\/iframe><\/div><p>&nbsp;<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In front of a hundred-year-old soda fountain caf\u00e9 in midtown Oklahoma City stands an inconspicuous pole with a long, heavy cord \u2014 partially wrapped around a spool, partially plugged into the front of a baby blue Nissan.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Nissan belongs to Pete Schaffer, who owns the historic Kaiser\u2019s Grateful Bean Caf\u00e9 that sits behind the charging station. It\u2019s one of a handful of free public charging stations in Oklahoma City. Schaffer worked with city officials to file an application to install a charging station, and, after partnering with St. Anthony Hospital and Baker Brothers Electric, the station went operational last summer.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cElectric vehicles are becoming more prevalent,\u201d Schaffer said. \u201cHowever, charging stations are not.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_34627\"  class=\"wp-caption module image aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 672px;\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-34627\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Electric-Car-Charging-672x448.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"672\" height=\"448\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Electric-Car-Charging-672x448.jpg 672w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Electric-Car-Charging-1920x1280.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Electric-Car-Charging-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Electric-Car-Charging-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Electric-Car-Charging-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Electric-Car-Charging-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Electric-Car-Charging-620x413.jpg 620w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Electric-Car-Charging-1620x1080.jpg 1620w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Electric-Car-Charging.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 672px) 100vw, 672px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-media-credit\">Beth Wallis\/StateImpact Oklahoma<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Pete Schaffer&#8217;s Nissan Leaf charges outside of Kaiser&#8217;s Grateful Bean Caf\u00e9.<\/p>\n<\/div><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Schaffer said it was important to him that the station was free because his caf\u00e9 operates around a philosophy of public service. He said it employs people who have been \u201cdown on their luck.\u201d It holds a once-a-month \u201cpay what you wish\u201d meal for people who may not be able to afford a meal otherwise. It offers free Thanksgiving meals every year and made 3,500 masks for first-responders during the pandemic. To Schaffer, the public charging station is an extension of the mindset he runs his restaurant by, and he hopes it will play a role in incentivizing people to make the switch to electric vehicles (EVs).<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cClean energy is really the way to go,\u201d Schaffer said. \u201cThis is a very small pebble here with this charging station that is thrown into a very, very large lake.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That very large lake of barriers for EV-driving Oklahomans is filled with issues like accessibility, infrastructure and \u201crange anxiety\u201d \u2014 a term referring to the fear that EV drivers could be stranded due to a lack of charging options, especially in rural areas. The transition to greener alternatives isn\u2019t without its bumps in the road, but Oklahoma is navigating the journey toward embracing EVs.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_34624\"  class=\"wp-caption module image alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 672px;\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-34624\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Pete-Schaffer-672x448.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"672\" height=\"448\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Pete-Schaffer-672x448.jpg 672w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Pete-Schaffer-1920x1280.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Pete-Schaffer-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Pete-Schaffer-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Pete-Schaffer-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Pete-Schaffer-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Pete-Schaffer-620x413.jpg 620w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Pete-Schaffer-1620x1080.jpg 1620w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Pete-Schaffer.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 672px) 100vw, 672px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-media-credit\">Beth Wallis\/StateImpact Oklahoma<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Pete Schaffer stands outside the historic Grateful Bean Caf\u00e9 in midtown Oklahoma City. The building has hosted Kaiser&#8217;s \u2014 and later, Kaiser&#8217;s Grateful Bean Caf\u00e9 \u2014 for over 100 years.<\/p>\n<\/div><p><b>Building out the network<\/b><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While Oklahoma is the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eia.gov\/state\/print.php?sid=OK\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">fourth-largest oil producer<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in the US, it also holds the title of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.newson6.com\/story\/62070156c573be76220ef0c4\/energy-leaders-discuss-nationwide-charging-stations-for-electric-vehicles\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No. 1 in the nation in per capita Level 3 charging stations<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2014 the fastest kind of EV charger \u2014 according to Oklahoma Secretary of Energy and Environment Ken Wagner. Much of that is due to the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.deq.ok.gov\/air-quality-division\/volkswagen-settlement\/chargeok-oklahoma-electric-vehicle-charging-program\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ChargeOK program<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which used $3.1 million from the 2017 Volkswagen emissions scandal settlement to build out Oklahoma\u2019s charging networks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to Leon Ashford, the environmental program specialist at the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (OKDEQ), the program awarded a total of 32 charging station projects with up to 80% of the cost incurred from installing new stations.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWe tried to look at the charging network we have in Oklahoma and tried to fill in the gaps where they were,\u201d Ashford said.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">OKDEQ Communications Director Erin Hatfield said the department prioritized putting charging stations in well-lit areas close to amenities, like restaurants and shops. Hatfield said the project\u2019s goal was to make it as convenient as possible for Oklahomans to drive EVs around the state.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThe more (charging stations) we have, the more people can buy electrical vehicles,\u201d Hatfield said. \u201cIf you feel like your state doesn\u2019t have the infrastructure, you may not be as inclined to buy one. But if we make this program more visible and let people know truly how many of these electric vehicle charging stations are throughout the state, our hope is that people will consider buying electric vehicles, and then they\u2019ll get more use.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_34629\"  class=\"wp-caption module image alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 672px;\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-34629\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Charging-Stations-resized2-672x337.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"672\" height=\"337\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Charging-Stations-resized2-672x337.jpg 672w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Charging-Stations-resized2-1920x964.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Charging-Stations-resized2-768x386.jpg 768w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Charging-Stations-resized2-1536x771.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Charging-Stations-resized2-2048x1028.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Charging-Stations-resized2-150x75.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Charging-Stations-resized2-300x151.jpg 300w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Charging-Stations-resized2-620x311.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 672px) 100vw, 672px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-media-credit\">Courtesy of PlugShare<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">A map showing operational charging stations in Oklahoma.<\/p>\n<\/div><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the main contributors to Oklahoma\u2019s charging network is Tulsa-based company Francis Energy. Francis took advantage of a <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.okcleancities.org\/state-tax-incentives#:~:text=For%20tax%20years%20beginning%20before%20January%201%2C%202020%2C%20the%20state,alternative%20fueling%20infrastructure%2C%20not%20including\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">75% state tax credit for alternative fueling infrastructure<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and, according to Francis Energy CEO and founder David Jankowsky, made Oklahoma the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/tulsaworld.com\/business\/super-charging-oklahoma-advocate-believes-state-is-well-primed-for-electric-vehicles\/article_d8e27319-7b41-5816-8701-7774e6531f15.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">first state<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to have a Level 3 charger every 50 miles. The road to robust charging networks, though, came with a few potholes.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether in the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/424044927806506\/search\/?q=Francis\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">comment sections<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of Oklahoma EV Facebook groups, a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=-L8-CuOPm04\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">YouTube roadtrip with nearly 60,000 views<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or from Jim Holman, the chair of the Oklahoma City chapter of the Electric Vehicle Association, EV drivers have reported malfunctioning Francis chargers across the state.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cUnfortunately, there is a reliability issue,\u201d Holman said. \u201cWe\u2019ve complained to the company \u2014\u00a0 &#8216;we&#8217; meaning EV drivers individually and collectively, and as an association \u2014 and I think they\u2019re trying to react to it in a positive way. I think it should be quicker, but I think they\u2019re on it on some level.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Francis Chief of Staff Clark Wheeler said issues with the chargers stem from a wide range of problems, such as certain cars not communicating properly with chargers, user error and vandalism. But Wheeler also acknowledged the technology is new and evolving.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cAs the industry matures, the technology that supports it is improving, and so are our capabilities to provide better service,\u201d Wheeler said.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wheeler said the company has processes in place to address station issues. The chargers are in a data network that connects to a 24\/7 online portal, which allows Francis to monitor stations for issues. When a charger goes down, the company is notified through the portal.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sometimes issues like software corrections can be handled remotely, and for other problems, Francis deploys technicians to work on the chargers on-site. He said the company aims to have a 24-hour turnaround on repairs, and Francis operates a 24\/7 call center for customer service. If drivers are feeling range anxiety, they can also log on to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.plugshare.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PlugShare<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/francisenergy.com\/account\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Francis EV Charging app<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to check the real-time status of particular stations.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cIt\u2019s a different fueling experience than what you\u2019ve been used to for over a hundred years,\u201d Wheeler said. \u201cWe built this charging network in order to increase adoption and to encourage drivers to be able to get an efficient and reliable charging experience any time they need us.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Francis could soon have another big opportunity to build out more of the state\u2019s charging network with new funding made available under the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/highways.dot.gov\/newsroom\/president-biden-usdot-and-usdoe-announce-5-billion-over-five-years-national-ev-charging\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> established by the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fhwa.dot.gov\/bipartisan-infrastructure-law\/evs_5year_nevi_funding_by_state.cfm\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Over $66 million<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> will be made available to Oklahoma after it submits a deployment plan to help create a network of charging stations along designated <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/afdc.energy.gov\/laws\/11675\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Alternative Fuel Corridors<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2014 a Federal Highway Administration program that charts highway segments with infrastructure or plans for infrastructure that support alternative fuel options.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_34628\"  class=\"wp-caption module image alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 672px;\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-34628\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/AFC-resized-672x418.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"672\" height=\"418\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/AFC-resized-672x418.jpg 672w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/AFC-resized-768x478.jpg 768w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/AFC-resized-1536x956.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/AFC-resized-150x93.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/AFC-resized-300x187.jpg 300w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/AFC-resized-620x386.jpg 620w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/AFC-resized-1735x1080.jpg 1735w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/AFC-resized.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 672px) 100vw, 672px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-media-credit\">Courtesy of the US Department of Energy<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">A map showing the current Alternative Fuel Corridors in Oklahoma.<\/p>\n<\/div><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cody Boyd, a spokesperson for the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, said the department will work with Sec. Wagner to develop a plan to submit by August.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWe\u2019ll be working with stakeholder groups like our tribal governments, local government partners, cities, counties, metropolitan planning organizations, other state agencies, et cetera, on the plan for how we will deploy that money,\u201d Boyd said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Boyd said ODOT will partner with the private sector, local governments and community groups, which will build and operate the stations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But as Oklahoma moves toward embracing EVs, state transportation officials are facing another issue: If fuel tax pays for roads and bridges, how will the state pay for infrastructure if its main revenue source is dying off?<\/span><\/p><p><b>Recouping the loss of motor fuel taxes<\/b><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By 2045, ODOT estimates motor fuel tax revenue will be cut by nearly half. Lawmakers answered by passing <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.oklegislature.gov\/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=hb2234&Session=2100\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">House Bill 2234<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, also known as the Driving on Road Infrastructure with Vehicles of Electricity (DRIVE) Act of 2021.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Starting in 2024, the law levies a three-cent tax per kilowatt hour to charge an electric vehicle, though it won\u2019t apply to slower charging stations with a capacity of less than 50 kilowatts or at free stations. It also requires fully electric vehicle owners to pay an annual registration fee of at least $110, and for most plug-in hybrid vehicles, $82.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While all EV drivers will have to pay the tax initially, in-state drivers can later claim a tax credit up to the amount of their registration fee. Oklahoma is joining at least 30 other states that also charge an EV registration fee.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Also in 2021, lawmakers passed <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.oklegislature.gov\/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=hb1712&Session=2100\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">House Bill 1712<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which creates a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/oklahoma.gov\/odot\/about\/boards-and-task-forces0\/road-user-charge.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Road User Charge Task Force<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to study methods to record and report road usage for EVs and hybrids, and seek alternatives to the current motor vehicle fuel taxes. The bill requires the task force to report on its findings and recommendations by Dec. 31, 2023.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Oklahoma\u2019s Road User Charge (RUC) Task Force is led by Oklahoma Secretary of Transportation Tim Gatz. So far, the task force has held <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/oklahoma.gov\/odot\/about\/boards-and-task-forces0\/road-user-charge.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">two meetings<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. In those meetings, task force members learned about Utah\u2019s and Oregon\u2019s RUC programs, which are the only states that have active RUC programs collecting money.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gatz said it\u2019s too early to tell exactly how Oklahoma\u2019s RUC program will work, but the task force meeting discussions highlighted some key issues: privacy, policy, costs and user education.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With an RUC, a driver would receive a device to install in their car, and that device would track the driver\u2019s mileage. In the Oregon system, a third party collects the data and destroys the location-based information, then sends the aggregated data to the state for billing. Gatz said the task force hasn\u2019t yet decided on a model, but that privacy would be a \u201cfocus area\u201d of developing Oklahoma\u2019s program.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As far as how an RUC would interact with the DRIVE Act, Gatz said there are some policy issues to reconcile, like if people who choose to enroll in the RUC program would need to pay the annual registration fee outlined in the DRIVE Act \u2014 and if not, how they could claim a tax credit from being taxed at chargers, given they hadn\u2019t paid the registration fee amount that caps the tax credit.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.odot.org\/newsmedia\/press\/2021\/RoadUserCharge\/RUC_20211116_Minutes.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">one of the task force meeting presentations<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a representative from the Utah Department of Transportation explained the cost structure involved with the state\u2019s RUC program. The program costs about $1 million per year to operate, and after two years, isn\u2019t yet covering its own operating costs.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cOne of the biggest challenges that we have \u2014 quite frankly, all states have \u2014 is balancing whatever model you choose to use with the cost of collection,\u201d Gatz said. \u201cWe\u2019re going to be paying close attention to [other states\u2019 programs] because we don\u2019t want to create a challenge here where it\u2019s so costly to collect that it drives up the cost for our citizenry.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">User education was also a key topic from the meetings. Not only because users would need to have some level of tech savvy to use the RUC device, but also to dispel misconceptions about cost structure \u2014 such as rural residents worried about paying more with the new program. The UDOT representative said in the meeting she \u201ccannot overstate the importance of public education and education with policy makers.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gatz said usability of the new technology would be another focus of the task force, as well as public outreach and education in community forums.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI think everybody understands the challenges that we\u2019re going to have with finding new ways to invest in transportation infrastructure, and that means it\u2019s not going to go away in the near term,\u201d Gatz said. \u201cWe\u2019re going to put our best foot forward, and community involvement is a huge part of that.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><b>Life with EVs<\/b><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As the state grapples with how it will need to modify its infrastructure and tax policies to pave the way for EVs, EV ownership itself is evolving rapidly \u2014 especially with the expanding proliferation of Level 2 and 3 charging stations in Oklahoma.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are three types of charging available for EVs: Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3. Level 1 chargers plug directly into a standard 120 volt AC outlet. Level 1 is the slowest kind of charge, with a power output of about 3-5 miles of EV range per hour. A full charge with a Level 1 charger can take over 24 hours. Level 2 chargers operate at 208-240 volts and have a power output of about 18-28 miles of range per hour. These chargers can generally fully charge an EV in 3-5 hours.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Level 3 includes DC Fast Charging and Tesla Supercharging. Level 3 can recharge EVs at a rate of 3-20 miles per minute.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to Michelle Merchant, the sustainability programs project specialist at Tulsa Area Clean Cities, most EV drivers charge at home on either a Level 1 or Level 2 charger. While the charging time may seem like a burden at first, she said it can actually work better for the user in the long run.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThe way that you charge what you need, versus having to go to a gas station, could actually be more convenient,\u201d Merchant said. \u201cWe\u2019ll be charging overnight, and you\u2019ll never have to spend time shopping at a gas station again.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For drivers who live in metropolitan areas or have a short commute, charging at home is an easy way to wake up every morning with a full battery. People who travel longer distances have to account for charging time along the way and plan their trip around these charging stops.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.chooseenergy.com\/electricity-rates-by-state\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Oklahoma\u2019s relatively low cost of electricity<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, EV drivers consulted for this story reported slight increases ($10-20\/month) in their electricity bills, and all said they pay significantly less for electricity than for motor fuel.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eric Pollard, the air quality and Clean Cities coordinator at the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments, said the average urban Oklahoma City area driver commutes about 34 miles per day, and rural drivers around the region drive between 30-50 miles per day.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Merchant said the people who can benefit the most from EVs are those who drive the most, due to the lack of fuel costs. Rural users, she said, stand to save the most by switching to EVs. With the rollout of new EV models like the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ford.com\/trucks\/f150\/f150-lightning\/2022\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ford F-150 Lightning<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, an all-electric truck with a 300-mile range, rural users may be more inclined to start looking into EVs.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pollard said the technological evolution of EVs has come a long way since the days of the first Nissan Leaf in 2011, which had 60-90 miles of range, and still has room to improve as the industry grows.<\/span><\/p><p><b>EV dreams<\/b><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tucked away on a quiet street in Ponca City, Bryan Crumrine can be found tinkering away with the patent-pending EVs he designs and builds himself. As his 3D printer hummed in the background \u2014 building the movie prop recreations he sells to fund his EV dreams \u2014 he talked through the specs on his creation: a seated, one-wheeled electric vehicle under the brand name Evolution EVs.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Crumrine\u2019s machine tops out around 27 miles an hour and works similarly to a hoverboard \u2014 no brakes, no steering wheel, and everything is controlled by self-balancing weight distribution. Crumrine, who used to race motorcycles when he was younger, is looking to expand from a one-wheeled vehicle to motorcycles, and eventually, to cars.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_34622\"  class=\"wp-caption module image alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 672px;\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-34622\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Bryan-Crumrine-Inside-672x448.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"672\" height=\"448\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Bryan-Crumrine-Inside-672x448.jpg 672w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Bryan-Crumrine-Inside-1920x1280.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Bryan-Crumrine-Inside-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Bryan-Crumrine-Inside-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Bryan-Crumrine-Inside-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Bryan-Crumrine-Inside-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Bryan-Crumrine-Inside-620x413.jpg 620w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Bryan-Crumrine-Inside-1620x1080.jpg 1620w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Bryan-Crumrine-Inside.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 672px) 100vw, 672px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-media-credit\">Beth Wallis\/StateImpact Oklahoma<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bryan Crumrine monitors the mechanics of his single-wheeled EV through his smartphone. Crumrine said his goal was to make his machine easy to use and easy to modify.<\/p>\n<\/div><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cIt was a way of me pushing my limitations of understanding and reaching milestones I\u2019ve never touched before,\u201d Crumrine said. \u201cI didn\u2019t expect the reaction I got out of it, because it started more as just a wild idea that I just wanted to create so I can ride around with my kids\u2026 and then it just caught fire on the internet, and people were trying to order it from me.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Kansas native<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">moved to Oklahoma about six months ago to start his business. Crumrine is working with Ponca City-based Pioneer Tech to set up an incubator with an office and manufacturing area, and is actively seeking investors for the start-up.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The history of Ponca City is especially relevant to Crumrine\u2019s business philosophy. While the Phillips 66 refinery provided the economic foundation for the city for most of the 20th century, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/business\/energy\/oklahoma-town-knows-what-it-takes-survive-oil-busts-plan-n457536\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the company has reduced its workforce substantially<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in the last few decades. Crumrine sees his business as an opportunity to bring not just a new employer to the area, but also for the city to look toward clean energy solutions as its economic backbone instead of oil and gas.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_34630\"  class=\"wp-caption module image alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 448px;\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-34630\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Bryan-Crumrine-Outside-resized-448x672.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"448\" height=\"672\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Bryan-Crumrine-Outside-resized-448x672.jpg 448w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Bryan-Crumrine-Outside-resized-1280x1920.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Bryan-Crumrine-Outside-resized-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Bryan-Crumrine-Outside-resized-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Bryan-Crumrine-Outside-resized-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Bryan-Crumrine-Outside-resized-100x150.jpg 100w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Bryan-Crumrine-Outside-resized-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Bryan-Crumrine-Outside-resized-620x930.jpg 620w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Bryan-Crumrine-Outside-resized-720x1080.jpg 720w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2022\/03\/Bryan-Crumrine-Outside-resized-scaled.jpg 1706w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 448px) 100vw, 448px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-media-credit\">Beth Wallis\/StateImpact Oklahoma<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bryan Crumrine sits on his one-wheeled EV outside of his home in Ponca City. Crumrine hopes to eventually scale up to build motorcycles and cars.<\/p>\n<\/div><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cPonca has really given me a hope of starting my company here,\u201d Crumrine said. \u201cIn a city that was based and established around the refinery.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Crumrine\u2019s EV company isn\u2019t the only one looking to call Oklahoma home. EV maker Canoo announced in 2021 it would bring in more than 2,000 jobs by building its manufacturing facility in Pryor, as well as research and software development centers in Tulsa and a customer service and financing center in Oklahoma City.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While Crumrine\u2019s company has a ways to go before it can reach a level like that of Canoo, he sees the development of Oklahoma\u2019s EV industry as a marathon, not a sprint.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cAs we continue our path into the world of electric vehicles&#8230; if we focus 100 years on it like we did with internal combustion motors&#8230; and focus that on vehicles that produce less of a carbon footprint, there\u2019s not enough cons to have an argument against doing that,\u201d Crumrine said.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The new frontier of EVs in Oklahoma isn\u2019t without its challenges \u2014 accessibility, range anxiety, infrastructure and competing in a state with a historic reliance on oil and gas production. But for people like Crumrine and Pete Schaffer, when it comes to this new generation of transportation, Oklahoma represents opportunity.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp;In front of a hundred-year-old soda fountain caf\u00e9 in midtown Oklahoma City stands an inconspicuous pole with a long, heavy cord \u2014 partially wrapped around a spool, partially plugged into the front of a baby blue Nissan.The Nissan belongs to Pete Schaffer, who owns the historic Kaiser\u2019s Grateful Bean Caf\u00e9 that sits behind the charging [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":216,"featured_media":34623,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[490,491,301,1],"tags":[1385,698,1384,707],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34621"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/216"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34621"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34621\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34637,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34621\/revisions\/34637"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34623"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34621"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34621"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34621"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}