Pub. 16 2017-2018 Issue 3

N E W J E R S E Y C O A L I T I O N O F A U T O M O T I V E R E T A I L E R S I S S U E N O . 4 , 2 0 1 7 18 new jersey auto retailer Big Benefits Behind the Push for Electric Vehicles BY PAMELA G. FRANK, CEO, CHARGEVC T hey’re coming…Electric vehicles, that consumers will want, are coming to New Jersey. Conventional wisdom has predicted, for years, that a car with a $35,000 price point and over 200 miles to the charge would appeal to mass-market consumers. We’re ready to test that wisdom. Advances in battery technology, coupled with declining costs, have brought us to a point where a wide range of electric vehicles will be entering the market over the next 12-36 months. These vehicles bring us to a new crossroad – where the electricity market meets the automotive market. The implications and op- portunities of this intersection are exciting and complex. If we get it right, there are deep, widespread and significant benefits for all stakeholders. About two years ago, several of us at Gabel Associates, a 20+ year-old New Jersey energy consulting practice, started talking about the benefits of transitioning from petroleum to electricity to “fuel” our cars. Initially we primarily thought about savings for all electricity customers, being inclined to look at electric vehicle benefits through the prismof the energymarkets we deal with every day. However, it turns out, there are many significant benefits, beyond just saving money. We also realized that, given how many electric vehicles were about to enter the market, the timing was right. We spent much of 2016 talking to many stakeholders and building up a new kind of organization. Enter ChargEVC, a coalition that includes all of New Jersey’s four investor owned utilities (IOUs), retail automotive dealers (NJ CAR), consumer advocates, local and national environmental and equity advocates, labor interests, power plant owners, original equipment manufacturers, technology companies and third-party electric suppliers. With a little more than a year behind us, ChargEVC is telling an incredible story. We have created a Roadmap for Vehicle