The partnership between Ford and the city of Seattle includes sharing information on charging needs and requirements to ensure the electrical grid can support the necessary demand for EVs, and providing consumer education outreach around EVs.
The collaboration, which calls for both the parties to work jointly with state and local governments to support charging station permitting, EV incentives and future legislation, paving the way to EV acceptance in Seattle and across the country, also includes municipally owned Seattle City Light.
Seattle City Light has been working with the city to promote the use of electricity for personal transportation and has received $500,000 in ARRA funding through a Clean Cities Coalition grant, to install at least 50 charging stations on public property.
Ford Motor manager of vehicle electrification and infrastructure Mike Tinskey said that Ford has an aggressive plan to bring five new electrified vehicles to market over the next two years including the Transit Connect Electric later this year and the Focus battery electric in 2011.
“To support the roll out and acceptance of these vehicles it is important to work with local utilities to make sure the necessary infrastructure and grid capability are ready,” Tinskey said.
