Healey finds $46 million more for EV charging as Trump tries to slash funding
A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday.
Enter Email
Sign Up
The new funding, overseen by the state's Department of Environmental Protection, adds to a
Advertisement
'We're building on what works and what has worked for us already,' DEP Commissioner Bonnie Heiple said in an interview. 'We need to find ways to make chargers accessible to people who have EVs now or want them in the near future.'
Advertisement
Meanwhile, the Trump administration has
The number of public fast chargers for electric vehicles has nearly tripled in Massachusetts in the past two years to almost 1,500 — and market leader
The 216-page assessment from the
Advertisement
The lack of chargers for trucks along many highways and for people parking on the street 'are the two most important gaps to address,' according to the report from
the coordinating council, which includes representatives of most major state agencies, the MBTA, and the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission.
Many Massachusetts businesses that rely on trucks
'You know, if you haven't built it, how will they come?' she said. 'Building out that charging infrastructure takes the wind out of the sails of any argument that we're not ready yet.'
The council report also called for existing programs, such as the utilities' offerings, to be more focused
on needy areas. Eversource and National Grid, the state's two largest utilities, have already exhausted the funds they budgeted in 2024 for subsidizing public fast chargers.
But some chargers built with the utility backing would have been built without subsidies, while areas such as along highways in the western and central parts of the state have been left out, according to Assistant Secretary of Energy Josh Ryor, who chairs the council.
'Let's make sure we're deploying these things quickly while also making sure that we're deploying in the areas that have the greatest value to EV drivers,' Ryor said. That could mean encouraging fast chargers built with utility subsidies to areas within 1.5 miles of a highway or in dense residential neighborhoods, he said.
Advertisement
The report included projections showing increasing demand from EV charging could require upgrades to the state's electrical grid. In a worst case scenario, if all new EV drivers charged at peak times, more than one-quarter of the state's substations would need to be upgraded by 2035. But incentivizing drivers to charge at off-peak times could reduce the number of substation upgrades to as few as 1 out of every 16.
The current forecast for 10,500 fast chargers in 2035 should help set priorities, but the exact number needed a decade from now could change, Ryor said. The council is required to report on the state's EV charging infrastructure every two years.
'One of the beauties of having this assessment every two years is we're able to incorporate the best information that we have,' he said. 'There's no one North Star for the number of chargers that we need.'
Aaron Pressman can be reached at
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Aussies erupt over new $363 per year tax hit
There are fears that electric vehicle (EV) sales could be affected if a road-user charge (RUC) is introduced to level the playing field with other cars. At the moment, EVs don't attract a tax for using Aussie roads like those in internal combustion engines (ICE). But ahead of the government's economic roundtable, there have been calls for EV drivers to pay their fair share with a brand new levy designed just for them. Electric Vehicle Council's (EVC) head of legal, policy and advocacy, Aman Gaur, told Yahoo Finance it doesn't make any sense to him why Australia would go down this path. "The simple principle around taxes is that you tax the things you don't want to see, like smoking or alcohol," he said. "Why are we taxing something that is actually trying to make Australia and the country safer from climate change? It just seems very counterintuitive." RELATED Major EV warning as true battery range for big brands like Tesla and BYD exposed ATO $2,548 tax refund cash boost for 2.6 million Aussies Hidden $3,000 per year cost of cashless revolt as record number of banknotes hoarded Why is a road-user charge being considered for EVs? Those in ICE vehicles have to pay an excise on fuel at the moment, which goes to the federal government as general revenue and can be used to fund transport infrastructure. It raises around $17 billion a year, but that revenue stream could start to go on a downward trend if more people buy EVs and don't pay a RUC. According to the Australian Automobile Association, one in 10 cars sold in the June quarter in Australia was an EV, which is a new record. The EVC said a RUC for electric cars shouldn't be introduced until that statistic hits at least three in 10 vehicles sold. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese acknowledged there needed to be a shakeup in the system to account for the rise of battery-powered vehicles. 'We need money to ensure that roads are adequate, and that is a long-held belief,' he said this week. 'What we need to do is to work those issues through and to come up with a realistic plan that can be implemented. And we'll await those discussions.'How would a road-user charge work? That hasn't been hashed out yet, and will form part of the discussions at next week's productivity and economic roundtable. 'We haven't settled on a model or on timing when it comes to that change, but clearly a government of either political persuasion will need to make changes there because the excise take on petrol will come down as petrol vehicles exit the fleet," Treasurer Jim Chalmers said this week. He added "people shouldn't anticipate that there will be a change very soon". Instead of EVs having their own type of RUC, Gaur told Yahoo Finance there should be a universal road tax applied to every vehicle. This was supported by EV motoring expert Toby Hagon, who said electric car drivers needed to start paying their way, but not with their own unique levy. "I'm not sure why we would treat EVs any differently to any other car on the road; we should be taxing them all equally," he told Yahoo Finance. "Don't just single out EVs or hybrids or plug-in hybrids. Apply a road user charge across the board and get rid of fuel excess. It seems like a logical way to do it." Hagon suggested a possible RUC scenario of 3 cents per kilometre driven. The latest data found the average Aussie drives around 12,100 kilometres per year, meaning EV motorists could be paying around $363 each year under Hagon's prediction. Comparatively, the fuel excise is currently 51.6 cents per litre of petrol or diesel, and, according to Compare the Market data from last year, a typical household pays around $3,200 a year in petrol or diesel. Would people stop buying EVs if they had to pay an RUC? A poll of more than 2,500 Yahoo Finance readers found 64 per cent would avoid buying an EV if they had to pay for a road tax. But Hagon said an RUC should not influence a person's decision-making if they're looking for a new car. "The running cost of an EV is so much lower than $363 a year, so it's not going to be the determining factor of whether someone buys an EV or not," he said. When you compare that $3,200 per year cost for ICE car drivers, an EV owner is typically only paying around $701 per year for charging. Gaur said there is a much bigger potential cost than a possible $363 yearly charge to contemplate. "To the person who's thinking about their next car, think about your children, think about your own lifestyle, and what is the best way to keep Australia safe from the effects of climate change," he said. Scott Maynard, the Australian boss of Swedish EV maker Polestar, said Australia needs to make sure that whatever direction it goes in with an RUC that it makes sense for everyone. 'Driving is an essential activity, so it's important the government has a clear understanding of what it would be seeking to achieve with a road user charge," he said. "Only when we understand that question can a framework be developed, and commentary applied. 'I don't think any driver, electric or otherwise, will have an issue with a road user charge system to replace fuel excise as long as it is fair and equitable."Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
Panasonic opens multibillion-dollar facility size of 225 football fields: 'When we commit to something, we're fully committed'
Panasonic has launched what it says will be the world's largest electric vehicle battery factory in De Soto, Kansas, Inside EVs reported. It's an investment that proponents say could help change the way America powers its vehicles, homes, and cities. At 4.7 million square feet — roughly the size of 225 football fields — the $4 billion plant promises to boost clean energy and, in doing so, help cities cut costs and reduce pollution that harms human health. Mass-producing batteries domestically helps simplify supply chains and potentially lower EV prices, which can also save money for consumers and businesses. Battery storage also enables more efficient use of renewables like solar. Paired with home panels, the systems can reduce reliance on fossil fuels and cut utility bills. Visit TCD's solar panel guide for installation guidance. The plant is Panasonic's second in the U.S. It built another within Tesla's Gigafactory campus in Nevada. The factory is also the largest economic development project in the history of Kansas. Developers say it will bring 4,000 manufacturing jobs and 8,000 extra roles further down its supply chain, Inside EVs reported. Not only that, but the news outlet reported that it "comes at a critical moment for EVs in the U.S." Global EV demand has softened, and Tesla has seen a slowdown in sales in 2025, with second-quarter deliveries falling 13%. However, the Kansas plant is a strategic hedge. Panasonic said it plans to diversify its customer base beyond Tesla, already supplying Lucid and Mazda. On the other hand, trade tensions with China and subsidies under the Inflation Reduction Act sparked a wave of domestic battery investment, creating thousands of new jobs and a "battery manufacturing boom", Inside EVs reported. In July, Bloomberg reported that Panasonic's head of North American operations, Megan Myungwon Lee, sought to allay previous concerns about the Japanese company's commitment to supplying Tesla amid the sales slowdown. How much would you pay for a brand-new EV? $50K or more $30K to $50K $20K to $30K Less than $20K Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. "We're going to be full production this year," Lee told Bloomberg. "When we commit to something, we're fully committed, and we want to make sure we support all the customers," Lee added. "We're not feeling the slowdown yet, and we're very bullish." Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
Panasonic opens multibillion-dollar facility size of 225 football fields: 'When we commit to something, we're fully committed'
Panasonic has launched what it says will be the world's largest electric vehicle battery factory in De Soto, Kansas, Inside EVs reported. It's an investment that proponents say could help change the way America powers its vehicles, homes, and cities. At 4.7 million square feet — roughly the size of 225 football fields — the $4 billion plant promises to boost clean energy and, in doing so, help cities cut costs and reduce pollution that harms human health. Mass-producing batteries domestically helps simplify supply chains and potentially lower EV prices, which can also save money for consumers and businesses. Battery storage also enables more efficient use of renewables like solar. Paired with home panels, the systems can reduce reliance on fossil fuels and cut utility bills. Visit TCD's solar panel guide for installation guidance. The plant is Panasonic's second in the U.S. It built another within Tesla's Gigafactory campus in Nevada. The factory is also the largest economic development project in the history of Kansas. Developers say it will bring 4,000 manufacturing jobs and 8,000 extra roles further down its supply chain, Inside EVs reported. Not only that, but the news outlet reported that it "comes at a critical moment for EVs in the U.S." Global EV demand has softened, and Tesla has seen a slowdown in sales in 2025, with second-quarter deliveries falling 13%. However, the Kansas plant is a strategic hedge. Panasonic said it plans to diversify its customer base beyond Tesla, already supplying Lucid and Mazda. On the other hand, trade tensions with China and subsidies under the Inflation Reduction Act sparked a wave of domestic battery investment, creating thousands of new jobs and a "battery manufacturing boom", Inside EVs reported. In July, Bloomberg reported that Panasonic's head of North American operations, Megan Myungwon Lee, sought to allay previous concerns about the Japanese company's commitment to supplying Tesla amid the sales slowdown. How much would you pay for a brand-new EV? $50K or more $30K to $50K $20K to $30K Less than $20K Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. "We're going to be full production this year," Lee told Bloomberg. "When we commit to something, we're fully committed, and we want to make sure we support all the customers," Lee added. "We're not feeling the slowdown yet, and we're very bullish." Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
