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Electric Car Industry And Advocates Say It's Time For Cities To Rev Up EV Infrastructure

Brian Bull
/
KLCC.

Cities need to plan ahead to accommodate the growing demand for electric vehicles (EVs). That’s from a Eugene-based manufacturer and a state public policy group. As KLCC’s Brian Bull reports, Arcimoto and OSPIRG jointly announced a new report today.

Last year, 200,000 EVs were sold in the U.S., nearly double the amount sold in 2015.  OSPIRG and research partner Frontier Group estimate Eugene could see 12,000 EVs on local roads by 2030.

OSPIRG’s Charlie Fisher says they’re making the case for officials to increase the number of public plugs more than tenfold.

Credit Brian Bull / KLCC
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KLCC
Arcimoto's founder and President, Mark Frohnmayer (left) and OSPIRG's State Director, Charlie Fisher (right) at today's press event.

“We see this as a positive report, there’s lots of opportunities for the City of Eugene to seize upon, to really get us to where we need to be," Fisher tells KLCC.

"And now’s the time to act.”

Mark Frohnmayer is President of Arcimoto, which has manufactured 13 EVs since it opened its current factory. With plans to greatly ramp up production next year, Frohnmayer hopes local leaders review the report and plan ahead.

Credit Brian Bull / Flickr.com
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Flickr.com
Acrimoto President, Mark Frohnmayer, before hs company's assembly-line for electric cars.

“Understanding this problem of where do we actually fuel up the next generation of vehicles, is a pretty critical one for them to understand," says Frohnmayer. 

"So, I would look at all of our transportation officials as a good first start.”

Arcimoto has 2400 pre-orders for its three-wheeled EVs already, with more than a hundred from Eugenians.

Credit Brian Bull / KLCC
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KLCC
Arcimoto's Creative Director, Jeremy Bronson, with one of the latest EVs his company makes.

Copyright 2018, KLCC.

Brian Bull is an assistant professor of journalism at the University of Oregon, and remains a contributor to the KLCC news department. He began working with KLCC in June 2016.   In his 27+ years as a public media journalist, he's worked at NPR, Twin Cities Public Television, South Dakota Public Broadcasting, Wisconsin Public Radio, and ideastream in Cleveland. His reporting has netted dozens of accolades, including four national Edward R. Murrow Awards (22 regional),  the Ohio Associated Press' Best Reporter Award, Best Radio Reporter from  the Native American Journalists Association, and the PRNDI/NEFE Award for Excellence in Consumer Finance Reporting.
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