Electric Vehicle Feasibility Study in Maine
Maine Clean Communities – October, 2011
1) ASSESSMENT SUMMARY AND PURPOSE: the scope and purpose of this
effort includes the following:
a. The geographic area served by our coalition includes the entire State of
Maine.
b. The area focused on for this assessment effort consists of the Cities of
Portland, South Portland and Westbrook.
c. Independent of the fact that this is a required deliverable for the 2011
coalition support contracts, this assessment is necessary so that our
region can determine the current status of, and potential for, use of electric
vehicles (EVs), Plug-In Hybrids, and implementation of Electric Vehicle
Supply Equipment (EVSE), continue our planning efforts and eventually
implement a comprehensive strategic plan to promote EVs, Plug-In
Hybrids, and implement EVSE in our region.
2) PAST & CURRENT PLUG-IN VEHICLE IMPLEMENTATION: the history and
current status of plug-in vehicle implementation in our coalition area
includes the following:
a. The Greater Portland region’s past experience with EVs and plug-in
electric vehicles dates back to the 1990’s when funding was made
available from the Vermont Department of Public Service (VDPS) through
its “Northern Region Thermal Management Technology Project”.
Participants included: the Maine Department of Environmental Protection,
the Maine Department of Transportation, the Maine Yankee Atomic Power
Company, Central Maine Power Company, the American Automobile
Association of Northern New England, the Natural Resources Council of
Maine, the Center for Environmental Enterprise, the Maine Turnpike
Authority, Maine Science and Technology Foundation, and F.L. Putnam
Investment Management Company.
The participants signed a contract with VDPS and contributed $75,000 in
in-kind services and $25,000 in cash to VDPS for the project. The project
acquired a 1996 Solectria Force EV to be used among the participants
(according to the participant’s level of contribution) in order to demonstrate
the feasibility of operating EVs in Maine, particularly in cold weather.
Quarterly meetings were held to address issues such as the use of the
vehicle, fundraising efforts, record keeping, prioritizing the use of the
vehicle for specific target audiences and ensuring equitable distribution of
the vehicle’s usage among all participants. In addition to driving the car,
participants prepared educational materials and performed public
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education activities related to EVs. Maine Clean Communities was able to
use the Solectria on several occasions for outreach.
Also during the 1990’s, Greater Portland METRO operated three, small
electric buses. This was a pilot project at the time, given the limited range
of the technology and the cold weather applications here. As other transit
properties in the east began to sell off their electric buses, METRO bought
five more used EV’s making it the largest fleet of electric buses in the
northeast for a short time. The EV program was phased out when
METRO turned to CNG buses. The comingling of the two technologies on
one site was deemed unsafe.
In 2009, the Sierra Club of Maine organized a number of theater showings
across the state of the film, “Who Killed the Electric Car”, as part of their
climate change initiative in support of EVs focused on lowering
greenhouse gas emissions.
Currently, Central Maine Power (CMP), the utility for the Greater Portland
region is embarking on three EV pilot programs. The pilot programs stem
from a stipulation agreement reached with CMP, approved by the Maine
Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) for the approval of a major
transmission line upgrade CMP is building. As part of the agreement, CMP
is required to implement at least three pilot projects aimed at increasing
the use of plug-in hybrid and EVs.
The first pilot program entails CMP testing a variety of electric vehicles in
its fleet. This includes the company’s participation in an Electric Power
Research Institute (EPRI) program with partial funding from the U.S. Dept.
of Energy testing the use of PHEV passenger vehicles in a utility fleet. The
company is also pursuing separate purchases of additional PHEV and
PEV vehicles, including passenger cars, an all-electric light-duty van, and
PHEV light-duty bucket trucks using electric drive for the Power Take-Off
for bucket operation, and heating and cooling in the passenger
compartment. The company has already taken delivery of several PHEV
sedans for its operations in Maine and New York, and expects to receive
one or more PHEV bucket trucks in late 2011.
The final pilot program has not been fully developed yet either but could
focus on working with a third party to develop charging infrastructure in
their service territory, develop an electric vehicle charging rate structure,
develop rebates for the implementation of charging stations, sponsor
educational workshops and work with the stakeholder group to further
advance the use of plug-in hybrids, EVs and EVSE.
b. The perspective of the three local governments in the study area on EVs
and plug-in electric vehicles is very supportive but there is no planning or
work underway on their part to promote these vehicles or EVSE in their
communities. However, the local governments do realize that this
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technology is on its way to Maine and are interested in working with our
stakeholder group and want to stay informed as work progresses.
The perspective of state government (relayed through the Governor’s
Energy Office) is open to, and interested in, EVs. They are interested in
knowing whether EVs are “cost-effective and sustainable” in the long run.
They would like to learn more about EVs. Maine Clean Communities plans
on meeting with the Governor’s Energy Office this fall before they begin
updating the State’s Comprehensive Energy Plan. We will discuss EVs at
that time and attempt to get specific language promoting EVs, Plug-In
Hybrids and EVSE into the Transportation Section of the Plan.
The perspective of the Greater Portland Council of Governments is one of
very strong support both for the vehicle technologies and the deployment
of needed infrastructure.
The perspective of the Metropolitan Planning Organization, or the
Portland Area Comprehensive Transportation System (PACTS) is one of
strong support. Specifically, the PACTS regional long-range transportation
plan Destination Tomorrow (DT) supports EVSE and the general
promotion of EV use. The DT Plan has a Policy on Environmental Quality
and Energy Conservation:
“Make transportation improvements that use more energy efficient
transportation options, low and non-polluting modes such as transit,
and/or reduce harmful pollutants associated with transportation.
Protect and improve the human and natural environments including
natural and cultural resources, air and water quality, and prepare
and be proactive for the most likely impacts of climate change.”
There is a specific strategy under this Policy (Strategy #33) that calls for
the development of appropriate yet diverse alternative fuel infrastructure
and increasing the use of alternative fuel vehicles.
There are currently no regional, local or statewide plans related to electric
vehicles in the state.
c. Currently, there are no public/private partnership activities that have
occurred or are planned related to EVs, plug-in hybrids and/or EVSE.
i. In the future, if such a partnership is established, Maine Clean
Communities, Central Maine Power, environmental organizations,
car dealers, car manufacturers, and local governments and
businesses should be involved. Maine Clean Communities could
and should be the lead organization.
ii. Currently, we have no role as a public/private partnership has not
yet been established, but we could work to establish one. One
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possibility is establishing such a partnership with CMP as part of
one or more of their pilot programs but it is likely that we would not
be the lead in this case.
iii. It is not clear what the possible extent of our coalition could be in
such a partnership but we could work to be included and possibly
lead the partnership if possible.
iv. There is currently no leader and no effort established at this time.
v. Our local utility, CMP is not yet a Clean Cities coalition member but
CMP is part of our EV Stakeholder group. We intend to follow up
with CMP about being a coalition member and will continue to work
with them in the stakeholder group.
d. There is currently no existing public EVSE infrastructure in the Greater
Portland Region.
e. No education, outreach or training activities have been held since the
1990’s as referenced above. A workshop on electric vehicles, organized
by Maine Clean Communities, is planned for fleets to be held in the fall of
2011.
3) ASSESSMENT OF PLUG-IN VEHICLE IMPLEMENTATION POTENTIAL: the
potential for plug-in vehicle implementation in our region is as follows:
a. Currently, the only EVs or plug-in hybrid available in our region is the
Chevy Volt. However, it is possible to get on a waiting list to purchase
other vehicles now either through dealers or on some companies’
websites. Nissan will introduce their EV, the “Leaf” in Maine in the summer
of 2012. Mitsubishi will introduce their EV“I” car in Maine in the spring of
2012. Toyota’s plug-in hybrid “Prius” will be available in 2012. The
Chevrolet “Volt” plug-in hybrid just became available in Maine. However,
Chevy dealers are only being allotted a few cars at a time and preordering is recommended. One local dealership in South Portland will be
receiving four vehicles and three are already pre-sold. There will be two
charging stations built at the dealership. The Portland Honda dealer does
not know when their fuel-cell EV, the “FCX”, will be available in Maine.
The South Portland Ford dealer expects to receive their Ford “Focus” EVs
in 2012.
b. We know of two EV charging stations that are currently in the Bar Harbor
region, but we do not know who owns them. We do not know of any new
infrastructure that is being planned, however we have been contacted by a
few businesses that are contemplating the idea and we will continue to
communicate with them and provide informational resources to them if
they plan to proceed.
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c. There are currently no local or state incentives for electric vehicles in Maine
or the Greater Portland Region. Since there are no incentives, their
effectiveness cannot be assessed.
However, there was a bill proposed this past session in the Maine State
Legislature, LD 1086 “An Act to Promote Plug-In Electric Vehicle Sales” that
proposed an income tax credit of up to $1,000 for the purchase of a qualified
plug-in electric vehicle through January 2015. The legislative Committee
issued a divided report on the bill and unfortunately, the fiscal note was
grossly overestimated to cost over $1 million over four years. Like many bills
with a fiscal note, this bill was not passed, as the State has a major budget
deficit. On a positive note, there appears to be interest in such a bill and we
will work with the author of the bill and the groups that testified in support of it
in the future. It should be noted that in the past, Maine did have a sales tax
credit in place for hybrid vehicles for a few years, so there is a precedent for
this type of policy.
The stakeholders in the area that are most likely to adopt plug-in electric
vehicles include “early adopters” such as hybrid owners and owners of
converted EVs as well as utilities, fleets, and businesses who are looking to
reduce their fuel costs.
As mentioned previously, our discussions with the local utility, CMP, identified
their plans to purchase several EVs. They had hoped to acquire their bucket
trucks in 2011 but due to delays in availability, they will receive them in 2012.
In order to communicate directly with the over 700 current hybrid car owners
in our target area, we developed a survey questionnaire in order to gauge
their future plans, current attitudes, support for state incentives and barriers
they face in purchasing and owning a plug-in electric hybrid or EV. A cover
letter about the EV project was sent through the mail to addresses acquired
from the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles showing valid car registrations from
the last two years. The letter directed the participants to take our survey online. In addition, we sent out an email to our Maine Clean Communities email
list of over 400 interested individuals asking them to also participate in the
survey. 122 people responded to the survey. (See questionnaire and survey
results below in Appendix I.)
According to the survey results 4% of respondents said they plan to purchase
a plug-in hybrid or EV sometime in the next year, 17% said one to two years
from now, 35% said three to five years from now, 13% said they do not plan
on purchasing such a vehicle, 19% said they were unsure and 13% percent
had a different answer under the heading “other” that included responses
such as when their current hybrid needs to be replaced, when charging
stations are available, and when prices decrease, among others.
For the hybrid owners only, of which there was a total of 105 respondents, 3%
of respondents said they plan to purchase a plug-in hybrid or EV sometime in
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the next year, 18% said one to two years from now, 35% said three to five
years from now, 14% said they do not plan on purchasing such a vehicle,
17% said they were unsure and 13% percent had a different answer under
the heading “other”
On a scale of 1-10 the average value response to the question, “how
interested are you in purchasing a plug-in hybrid or EV as your next vehicle?”
was a 6.73 for purchasing a plug-in hybrid and 5.18 for purchasing an EV.
Results from current hybrid owners only was a bit higher with an average
value response of 6.87 for interest in purchasing a plug-in hybrid and 5.40
value response for interest in purchasing an EV.
Additionally, in response to the question whether the respondent is currently
on a waiting list to purchase a plug-in hybrid or EV, three-percent said yes,
ninety-two percent said no, four-percent said no, but would like to be, and
one-percent answered that they were unsure. For hybrid owners only, the
response was four-percent currently on a waiting list, ninety-percent not on a
waiting list, five percent no but would like to be and one percent not sure.
We also spoke with Wayne Krauth, a member of our stakeholder group and
an early adopter who has converted one gas vehicle to an EV and is currently
converting a second. He has also taught a class at the local community
college about how to properly and safely perform a conversion. Wayne’s
original reason to go with an electric vehicle has not changed since 2008
when gasoline hit $4.00 a gallon. He wanted to reduce his gasoline
consumption and stop paying money to the oil companies. He chose to build
his own electric cars because there were none available in Maine. His main
selection criteria in choosing to purchase an electric vehicle in the future
include the following:
a) ability to go highway speeds (as opposed to a low speed EV of 35 mph
or less);
b) sufficient range on a single charge to enable commuting and other local
trips, 40-50 miles per charge minimum;
c) reasonable cost;
d) available for sale in Maine.
Wayne reached out to other folks in Maine who have completed
conversions but was unable to obtain responses.
d. The best locations for future public charging stations include public and
private parking garages and lots, airports, shopping areas, entertainment
centers, government centers, convenience stores, hotels, rest stops near
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the freeway, existing gas stations, transit hubs and car-sharing locations.
These locations are the best places because they attract large numbers of
people. Locations should vary according to the level of EVSE installed.
For example, direct current only requires 15-30 minutes for a full charge,
so a location such as a gas station or convenience store would be
appropriate. For Level II EVSE, other locations such as those listed above
would be more appropriate where charging would typically be expected for
one to four hours.
According to the PACTS’ Places of Employment Study Area with journeyto-work and places of employment data derived from the 2000 Census,
62% or 21,515 people work in the City of Portland with 19% or 6,300
people working in adjacent communities, while adjacent South Portland
has 33% or 4,140 people working in the community with another 53% or
6,660 people working in adjacent communities. The City of Westbrook,
adjacent to both South Portland and Portland, has 26% or 2,155 people
working in the community with another 63% or 5,170 people working in
adjacent communities.
The Cities of Portland, South Portland and Westbrook are contiguous with
the typical distance of trips ranging between three and ten miles apart.
The above data and the distances between the communities, shows that
the three cities in the Greater Portland region included in our study area
have short commute distances and times and would be good places for
EVSE as these communities are a good fit for the current range of plug-in
hybrids and EVs.
e. Please see attached maps in Appendix II and following list that shows recommended
locations and addresses for potential EVSE infrastructure. (There is currently no
existing EVSE infrastructure located in the Greater Portland Region.)
Top EVSE Recommended Locations
The top seven locations for EVSE infrastructure in the region include the following (in no
particular order):

Idexx Laboratories

Westbrook City Hall

Maine Mall

Portland City Hall

Maine Medical Center

South Portland City Hall

City of Portland’s Garage
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Other Potential EVSE Recommended Locations
Parking Garages
 University of Southern Maine
96 Falmouth Street, Portland, ME
 Spring St. Parking Garage
45 Spring Street, Portland, ME
 Southern Maine Community College
2 Fort Road, South Portland, ME
 Gateway Parking Garage
181 High Street, Portland, ME
Hotels
 Portland City Garage
15 Elm Street, Portland, ME
 Marriott at Sable Oaks
200 Sable Oaks Drive, South Portland, ME
 Fore St. Parking Garage
427 Fore St, Portland, ME
 Residence Inn, Portland
145 Fore Street, Portland, ME

Ocean Gateway Garage
167 Fore Street, Portland, ME
 Hilton Garden Inn
65 Commercial Street, Portland, ME
 Temple St. Parking Garage
11 Temple Street, Portland, ME
 Eastland Park Hotel
157 High Street, Portland, ME
 Custom House Parking Garage
25 Pearl Street, Portland, ME
Grocery Stores
 Casco Bay Parking Garage
54 Commercial St, Portland, Maine
 Trader Joe’s
87 Marginal Way, Portland, ME
 Top of the Old Port Garage
119 Pearl Street, Portland, ME
 Whole Foods
2 Somerset St, Portland, ME
 Public Market Parking Garage315
Cumberland Avenue, Portland, ME
 Hannaford (Portland)
295 Forest Avenue, Portland, ME
 City of Westbrook Riverfront Parking
Garage
41 Dana Court, Westbrook, ME
 Shaws (Portland)
Westgate Shopping Center, Portland, ME
 Shaws (Deering, Portland)
91 Auburn Street, Portland, ME
Park and Rides
 Park and Ride
252 Marginal Way, Portland, ME
 Oakhurst Dairy (one of the largest solar
centers in ME)
364 Forest Avenue, Portland, ME
 Portland Transportation Center Park and
Ride
Thompsons Point, Portland, Maine
 Shaws (South Portland)
180 Waterman Drive, South Portland, ME
Colleges and Universities
 Hannaford (South Portland)
50 Cottage Road, South Portland, ME
 Hannaford (Westbrook)
7 Hannaford Drive, Westbrook, ME
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Transportation
486 Forest Avenue, Portland, ME
 Portland International Jetport
Suite 20, 1001 Westbrook Street, Portland,
ME
 Mobil
518 Forest Avenue, Portland, ME
 Big Apple
754 Congress Street, Portland, ME
 Portland Transportation Center
Portland, ME
 7-Eleven
704 Congress Street, Portland, ME
 Portland Ferry Terminal
56 Commercial Street, Portland, ME
 Broadway Gettymart
207 Broadway, South Portland, ME
Municipal Buildings
 Portland City Hall
389 Congress Street, Portland, ME
 Cumberland Farms
175 Front Street, South Portland, ME
 South Portland City Hall
25 Cottage Road, South Portland, ME
 Cumberland Farms
427 Cottage Road, South Portland, ME
 Westbrook City Hall
2 York Street, Westbrook, ME
 Broadway One-Stop
333 Broadway, South Portland, ME
 7-Eleven
684 Main Street, South Portland, ME
Public Libraries
 Portland Public Library
5 Monument Square, Portland, ME
 Jetport Gas and Convenience
446 Western Avenue, South Portland, ME
 South Portland Public Library
482 Broadway, South Portland, ME
 Westbrook Service Center
399 Main Street, Westbrook, ME
 Walker Memorial Library
800 Main Street, Westbrook, ME
 LeClerc’s Service Center
925 Main Street, Westbrook, ME
 Warren Memorial Library
479 Main Street, Westbrook, ME
 Cumberland Farms
730 Main Street, Westbrook, ME
Shopping Centers
 Mobil
782 Main Street, Westbrook, ME
 Maine Mall
364 Maine Mall Road, South Portland, ME
 Getty Mart
159 Bridgton Road, Westbrook, ME
Gas Stations
 7-Eleven
27 Washington Avenue, Portland, ME
Hospitals
 Maine Medical Center
22 Bramhall Street, Portland, ME
 Big Apple
2 Park Avenue, Portland, ME
 Mercy Hospital
144 State Street, Portland, ME
 Hamilton Service Station, Inc
205 Park Avenue, Portland, ME
 Health South Rehabilitation Hospital of
Portland
335 Brighton Ave, Portland, ME
 Cumberland Farms
49 Pine Street, Portland, ME
 Welch’s Citgo
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4) PERMITTING PROCESS ANALYSIS: A description of the current permitting
process and efforts underway or planned to expedite permitting include the
following:
a. The level of awareness of local permitting offices about the implementation of
EVSE is minimal. Outreach and education is needed for the local planning
departments within the Greater Portland region. The largest city, the City of
Portland, is participating in our stakeholder group and is aware that there is
interest from the public as they have been contacted by a few people asking
questions about permitting requirements.
b. The permitting offices’ level of knowledge of level II home charging stations
varies. The City of Portland is aware of the different levels of charging
stations, their electrical requirements, the permitting process, utility
requirements (if a new transformer is necessary) etc. but no level II or III
charging stations have been built in Maine at this time, so there is no firsthand knowledge or example to look to. They are not prepared for rapid
growth in this sector. The other two cities in our region are aware that
charging stations are necessary but may not have all of the details of what will
be required.
c. The current permitting process for EV charging station installation varies
depending upon the type of charging station. For a level I charging station no
permit is required. For level II and DC “Fast Charge” charging stations an
electrical permit is required by the local government and the city inspector
must sign off the work of a state-licensed electrician. No permits have been
pulled for a charging station at this time, but the City of Portland reports that
the turn-around time would be a few days after the electrical work is
completed and would be handled like any other electrical permit.
The efforts that have already been undertaken to expedite the permitting
process include the State of Maine’s adoption of the National Electric Code’s
Article 625. This code addresses the many electronic aspects of electric
vehicles and all equipment that is used for vehicle charging. The other effort
underway is the convening of the electric vehicle stakeholder group. The
permitting offices are now aware of the permitting requirements which will
expedite processing of permitting once requests are made.
5) ANALYSIS OF PUBLIC INFORMATION AND EDUCATION NEEDS:
Description of the types of educational outreach which needs to be
conducted in order to better facilitate implementation of plug-in vehicles
and infrastructure include the following:
a. The educational needs for potential buyers of plug-in hybrids and EVs are
extensive and very important. Information needs to be disseminated to
potential buyers and owners of plug-in Hybrids and EVs that focuses on the
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benefits and maintenance of the vehicles, the different types of charging
stations, their costs, their output, locations of EVSE, and safety information
about both the vehicles and the charging stations.
One particular issue that needs to be addressed in any public information and
educational effort in Maine is the unique issue of cold weather, which lasts 45 months. One hundred percent EVs generate little heat as they operate,
which is completely insufficient to heat the driver and passenger
compartment. Instead, EVs typically use an electric heater which taps off the
main battery pack for power. The major concern is the potential for EV
batteries to run down more quickly in cold weather reducing the range of the
vehicle which could be as much as 10-15%, especially if the heater is kept
running constantly. Although plug-in hybrids have backup combustion
engines that run on gasoline, their batteries could still draw down quickly in
cold weather which would reduce the overall range of the car.
In addition, lead-acid batteries do not like the cold. These batteries were used
during the first generation EVs. Today, lithium batteries are almost exclusively
used in all new EVs.
We understand that car manufacturers are developing “cold weather”
packages to remedy the problems mentioned above such as Nissan for their
100% EV “the Leaf”.
b. The process for installing a Level II home charging station includes hiring a
state-certified electrician (state certified electricians are listed on the State of
Maine’s website) pulling a permit from the local government and having the
local government’s inspector sign off on the electrical work.
c. Outreach is needed to ensure the safe operation of home charging stations.
Materials need to be developed or secured and distributed to residences in
partnership with the electric utilities, state-wide environmental organizations,
media, social media, Public Service Announcements, and public events with
early outreach focused on “early adopters” of EV technology to ensure the
safe operation of home charging stations.
d. The educational needs for public charging infrastructure installations includes
available locations, how to properly charge a vehicle, address safety
concerns, the varying costs of the three types of charging stations, local
permitting and any available financial incentives.
e. The educational needs for fleet implementation of plug-in hybrids, EVs and
infrastructure includes information on the costs and benefits of the vehicles
for fleets, maintenance, availability, safety, charging locations and
procedures, and financial incentives for plug-in hybrids, EVs and charging
infrastructure. Maine Clean Communities has close relationships with the
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municipalities in the Greater Portland Region and has the ability to reach out
to the fleets and organize educational workshops focused on these topics.
f. The educational needs for first responders, public safety officers, construction
permitting officials and others is extensive. To date, there has been no
educational outreach to these groups related to EVs. However, in the past,
with the introduction of hybrid vehicles such as the Toyota Prius, a successful
education model was implemented in which the automobile manufacturers
teamed up with safety officers, i.e. police and fire departments for specific
training about the vehicles.
Workshops were held that taught first responders and safety officers how to
respond to the new technology in emergency scenarios and taught them
about the vehicle’s electronic systems and batteries. Training materials were
provided by the vehicle manufacturers in the forms of videos and training
manuals. We are told that this series of trainings was very valuable and
successful and could be repeated with the focus on electric vehicles. Our
stakeholder group includes the State Fire Marshall’s office which has the
ability to contact every fire department in the state. They also have the ability
to provide information about workshops and training opportunities on their
website and newsletter. Many of the car manufacturer’s already have training
materials available for plug-in hybrid and EVs.
In addition, the National Fire Protection Association's (NFPA) Electric Vehicle
Safety Training (EVST) project is providing training and materials to help first
responders and firefighters identify electric vehicles and respond to common
hazards.
A similar workshop could be held for local government permitting officers,
inspectors and electricians, organized by the local utilities to educate the
parties about the technology. Educating these groups will help speed the
permitting process. Outreach to building officials’ associations and other
professional organizations could help inform these groups of the educational
opportunity.
6) ANALYSIS OF OTHER BARRIERS: Barriers that could prevent successful
deployment of electric vehicles and infrastructure.
a. Barriers to deployment of electric vehicle charging stations include:

Lack of a clear permitting process and timeframe;

Lack of suitably trained electricians’, permitting officials and inspectors’
knowledge about EVs and charging infrastructure;

Lack of public education;

Potential efforts by the State to make up for lost gas tax revenue which
could discourage EV ownership;
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
Safety concerns from fire officials;

Costs to build and operate EVs and infrastructure;

Availability of EVs; and

Problems associated with entities other than utilities “selling” power.
b. Incentives at all levels of government should be enacted for building charging
stations. In addition, preferential parking for EVs, reduced local excise taxes,
tax credits and “free” fuel at charging stations should be enacted. Until the
costs and availability of EVs and charging infrastructure decreases, financial
and other incentives are necessary to encourage people to embrace this new
technology.
c. The necessary steps to reduce or eliminate the identified barriers include:

Working with local governments’ permitting offices to streamline
permitting and ensure that proper electrical codes are adopted;

Educate permitting officials, inspectors, and certified electricians about
the technology;

Work with first responders and the State Fire Marshall’s office to
implement an education program related to safety;

Educate the public about the benefits of electric vehicles, the facts
about charging stations and availability of public charging stations;

Work toward implementing tax and other financial incentives for
infrastructure;

Work with EV auto manufacturers to sell their vehicles in Maine; and

Educate businesses about how to charge “user fees” for public
charging stations rather than charging for the electricity.
CMP plans to approach the MPUC soon to explore the issue of third parties
abilities’ to “sell power” as related to electric vehicles. Knowing the MPUC’s
policy on this key issue will help us determine if other avenues such as
charging “user fees” instead, will allow the implementation of public and
privately owned charging stations accessed by the public.
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Key parties necessary for the reduction or elimination of barriers should
include local governments’ permitting and inspection offices, electricians, first
responders, the State Fire Marshall’s office, businesses, non-profit
organizations, car dealers and their associations, the public, and EV car
manufacturers.
7) ROLE OF COALITION TO FACILITATE PLUG-IN VEHICLE
IMPLEMENTATION: the current and future role of our coalition in plug-in
vehicle implementation is as follows:
a. One of the actions our coalition is taking to follow up on this assessment is
our participation in the successful eleven-state DOE-funded “Clean Cities
Community Readiness and Planning for Plug-in Electric Vehicles and
Charging Infrastructure” project. Now, our coalition will have additional
resources to continue working with the stakeholder group we have
assembled, continue planning, research and work with various parties in the
region to promote EVs and the implementation of charging infrastructure.
b. In addition, we successfully secured a loaner plug-in hybrid Prius from Toyota
for several weeks. We reached out to local governments, key stakeholders
and government officials in order to show them the car, give them a chance to
drive it, get their feedback and get them excited about the technology.
c. The role our coalition could take in marketing, outreach and training related to
this effort could be carrying out all of the above activities listed under “steps to
reduce or eliminate barriers.” So far, no activities have been planned as we
are waiting for additional funding to make this possible.
d. The resources we need to help improve our implementation efforts include
funding for staff time, education and outreach materials including successful
case studies, model permits, safety training handbooks from the car
manufacturers, model legislation for state incentives, and webinars to educate
staff.
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Appendix I
Plug-In Hybrid and EV Survey
As stated previously, a survey questionnaire was developed with a total of 15
questions related to Plug-in Hybrids and EVs. Questions were intended to gauge
respondents’ future plans, current attitudes, support for state incentives and
barriers they face in purchasing and owning a Plug-in Electric Hybrid or EV. (See
below.)
A personalized letter was sent to approximately 700 current hybrid car owners.
Current hybrid car owners were identified as “early adopters” of new vehicle
technologies including plug-in hybrid and EVs. Addresses were acquired from
the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles showing valid car registrations from the last
two years. The letter directed the participants to take our survey on-line that was
posted to our Maine Clean Communities’ web site. In addition, we sent out an
email to our Maine Clean Communities’ email list of over 400 individuals asking
them to also participate in the survey. One hundred and twenty-two people
responded to the survey overall with one-hundred and five respondents being
current or previous hybrid-car owners otherwise defined as “early adopters”.
Following are the results from the survey:
15
-ELECTRIC VEHICLE SURVEY RESULTS1. Do you currently own a hybrid vehicle, or have you owned a hybrid
vehicle in the past?
#
Answer
Response
%
1
I currently
own a hybrid
vehicle
100
82%
2
I have owned
a hybrid
vehicle in the
past, but not
currently
4
3%
3
I have never
owned a
hybrid vehicle
17
14%
4
Other (please
explain)
1
1%
122
100%
Total
Other (please explain)
I lease a hybrid vehicle
As is evident in Question 1, this survey deliberately targeted existing hybrid car owners,
characterized as “early adopters” of this kind of technology. The overall respondents numbered
122 but the number of “early adopters” numbered 105. Of these responses, the vast majority
16
either own or lease a hybrid (83%), or have owned one in the past (3%), while 14% report never
having owned a hybrid.
2. How interested are you in purchasing a Plug-in Hybrid or Electric
Vehicle as your next vehicle?
#
Answer
Min Value
Max Value
Average
Value
Standard
Deviation
Responses
1
Plug-in
Hybrid
0
10
6.73
2.83
113
2
Electric
Vehicle
0
10
5.18
3.23
107
Question 2 asked respondents how interested they are in purchasing a Plug-in Hybrid or
Electric Vehicle as their next vehicle. Based on a 0 to 10 scale -with 10 representing the
highest level of interest- the average value among respondents was 6.73 for Plug-in Hybrids,
and 5.18 for Electric Vehicles. When the results are filtered to show only those who rated either
vehicle at 8 or higher, 47% (53) respondents rated Plug-in Hybrids between 8 and 10, while
26% (28) of respondents rated Electric Vehicles between 8 and 10. These results suggest that:
survey takers are slightly more interested in purchasing a Plug-in Hybrid as their next vehicle
than a purely Electric Vehicle; and, while the overall average among respondents is healthy but
not exceptional (5 and 6 on a scale of 10), there are a number of respondents who are very
interested in these vehicles.
17
3. If you plan to purchase a Plug-in Hybrid or Electric Vehicle, when
do you think you would make the purchase?
#
Answer
Response
%
1
Sometime in
the next year
5
4%
2
1-2 years from
now
20
17%
3
3-5 years from
now
41
35%
4
I do not plan
on purchasing
a Plug-in
Hybrid or
Electric
Vehicle
15
13%
5
Not Sure
22
19%
6
Other (please
explain)
15
13%
Total
118
100%
18
Other (please explain)
Hoping to get another 5+ years out of my car before purchasing a replacement
There is a popular illusion that electric vehicles don't pollute-what about the pollution used to
generate the electricity that recharges them that is generated by nuclear and coal?
8-10 yrs.
When the Prius dies (!)
Have just bought a hybrid, so it will be some time.
my hybrid has another 100k miles to go, maybe more, so can't predict the next purchase
I keep a car until it's falling apart. My Prius is only 3 yrs. old so it will be awhile before I buy
another car.
The current cost is prohibitive. When prices stabilize, I will consider a purchase. I'm more likely
to purchase another Prius in the meantime.
At least 5 years as I hope to have my Prius on the road for many years. Also, I need to
understand more about the technology and necessary infrastructure necessary to replenish the
energy needed to power the car on long road trips
we await solar powered electricity stations for recharging
Only if charging stations are reasonably easy to use.
My Prius is a 06 so I'm hopeful that it will last me longer than 5 yrs. but would be interested in
converting it to a plug in should that technology become cheaper
When Street Parking access to plug-in chargers become available in downtown Ptld
I will likely drive my 2008 Prius until it no longer provides reliable transportation. I hope that will
be many years from now.
5 + years
Taken together, respondents who plan to purchase a Plug-in Hybrid or Electric Vehicle any time
in the next 5 years comprise 56% of all responses, while those who do not plan to purchase
such a vehicle, or are unsure, make up 32% of respondents. The remaining 13% who chose
‘other’ largely suggest they may purchase a Plug-in Hybrid or Electric Vehicle at some point, but
they are looking to get several more years out of their current vehicle (in most cases a Toyota
Prius).
When filtered to show just the 105 respondents (86%) who have experience owning a hybrid,
the results are essentially the same: 3% plan to purchase a hybrid ‘sometime in the next year’,
18% indicate ‘1-2 years from now’, 35% responded ‘3-5 years from now’, 14% ‘do not plan on
purchasing a Plug-in Hybrid or Electric Vehicle’ and 13% chose ‘other’.
19
4. Are you currently on a waiting list to purchase a Plug-in Hybrid or
Electric Vehicle?
#
Answer
Response
%
1
Yes
4
3%
2
No
110
92%
3
No (but I
would like to
be)
5
4%
4
Not Sure
1
1%
120
100%
Total
The overwhelming majority of respondents report they are not currently on a waiting list to
purchase a Plug-in Hybrid or Electric Vehicle. However, 3% of respondents do report being on
a waiting list (which corresponds closely to the 4% from the previous question who plan to
purchase an electric vehicle ‘sometime in the next year’); 4% indicate they would like to be on a
waiting list in order to purchase one.
20
5. Which of the following benefits of Plug-in Hybrids and Electric
Vehicles are most important to you? (please rank in order of
importance)
Overall Priority
Answer
1
2
3
4
5
Responses
1st
Reduce pollution and
personal contribution to
climate change
42
36
23
9
2
112
2nd
Reduce fossil-fuel
consumption and reliance
on foreign oil
29
41
33
9
1
112
3rd
Reduce Personal Fuel
Costs
34
25
39
10
4
112
4th
Experience the new
technology
3
7
14
75
13
112
5th
Other (please explain)
4
3
3
10
92
112
112
112
112
112
112
-
Total
21
Other (please explain)
see previous remarks about sources of electrical pollution
none
I recharge so many items in the privacy of my own home, why not my vehicle.
experience pro's & con's
I'd like to set an example to others.
Both of the above.
The top two choices are equally important to me
Reduce unnecessary consumption of fuel
I may consider one of these types when the vehicles get twice the mileage it currently gets.
Electric cost keep going up so it becomes costly no matter what one does.
not interested
Grow demand and the market
pg must make sense
Set good example for next generation
Question 5 asked respondents to rank the 5 categories above in order of importance -with 1
being most important (blue in graph). The table above shows how respondents prioritized these
benefits. As you can see, ‘reduce pollution and personal contribution to climate change’
received the most 1’s (blue) and the second highest number of 2’s (red) and is clearly the
benefit that resonates most with respondents. Close behind this sentiment, the answer choice
‘reduce fossil fuel consumption and reliance on foreign oil’ received slightly higher scores than
‘reduce personal fuel costs’ (while ‘reduce personal fuel costs’ generated more 1’s, ‘reduce
fossil fuel consumption and reliance on foreign oil’ was more likely to be selected as the 2nd and
3rd most important priority and therefore ranks second overall). ‘Experience the new technology’
and ‘other’ received modest scores and rank 4th and 5th respectively.
These results suggest that respondents are more attracted to Plug-in Hybrids and Electric
Vehicles for their environmental benefits rather than just reducing personal fuel costs. This
feeling is also underscored by some of the comments in the ‘other’ category, such as: “Set a
good example for next generation,” and “Reduce unnecessary consumption of fuel.”
22
6. Would you be more willing to purchase a Plug-in Hybrid or Electric
Vehicle if this vehicle entitled you to free parking in designated
metered areas?
#
Answer
Response
%
1
Yes
63
53%
2
No
41
34%
3
Not Sure
15
13%
Total
119
100%
The larger part of respondents (53%) said they would be more willing to purchase a Plug-in
Hybrid or Electric Vehicle if it entitled them to free parking in metered areas.
23
7. Would you be more willing to purchase a Plug-in Hybrid or Electric
Vehicle if there were a network of public charging stations already in
place?
#
Answer
Response
%
1
Yes
101
85%
2
No
8
7%
3
Not Sure
10
8%
Total
119
100%
The overwhelming majority of respondents indicate they would be more willing to purchase a
Plug-in Hybrid or Electric Vehicle if there were a network of public charging stations already in
place.
24
8. If you were to purchase a Plug-in Hybrid or Electric Vehicle, what is
the likelihood you would sign up for Maine's renewable green power
option as your electricity provider?
#
Answer
Response
%
1
Very Unlikely
3
3%
2
Unlikely
3
3%
3
Undecided
55
51%
4
Likely
15
14%
5
Very Likely
21
19%
6
I Currently
Receive This
Service
11
10%
Total
108
100%
Since Question 8 was largely hypothetical (“if” you were to purchase such a vehicle, “would” you
sign up for green power…) it is not surprising that the most common response is ‘undecided’
(51%). It is also possible that some respondents do not know enough about the service to
make an informed decision.
With that said, there is a noticeable trend that respondents are more likely to sign up for green
power than not. Taken together, those who indicate they are ‘likely’, ‘very likely’ or ‘currently
receive the service’ comprise 43% of responses, compared to just 6% of respondents who
indicate they are ‘unlikely’ or ‘very unlikely’ to sign up for the service. It should also be noted
that 10% of respondents are already signed up for Maine’s renewable power option.
25
9. Among the concerns and potential barriers associated with Plug-in
Hybrids and Electric Vehicles listed below, please adjust the sliders to
indicate how much they would factor in your decision-making
process to purchase a Plug-in Hybrid or Electric Vehicle.
Overall
Ranking
Answer
Min
Value
Max
Value
Average Value
Standard
Deviation
Responses
1st
Accessibility of
Charging
Infrastructure
1
10
7.68
2.47
111
2nd
Price
1
10
7.51
1.98
112
3
Vehicle Range
(distance driven
between charges)
1
10
7.47
2.57
111
4th
Cold Weather
Performance
0
10
7.43
2.79
112
5th
Lifespan of
Batteries
0
10
6.85
2.66
109
6th
Availability of
Vehicles
0
10
5.50
2.74
108
7th
Safety Concerns
With Having a
Charging Station
in Your Garage
0
10
3.35
3.23
101
rd
Question 9 asked respondents to rate how the above concerns might factor into their decision to
purchase a Plug-in Hybrid or Electric Vehicle. Respondents used a slider to show on a scale of
0-10 –with 10 being a ‘critical factor’- which concerns weigh most heavily. The average value
26
(highlighted in yellow in the table above) was then used to rank order the responses from most
to least critical -the average value is also represented in the graph above. As is evident,
‘accessibility of charging infrastructure’ (7.68) is the most critical factor in respondents’ decisionmaking process, closely followed by ‘price’ (7.51), ‘vehicle range’ (7.47), ‘cold weather
performance’ (7.43) and (5.5) ‘availability of vehicles’. The only factor that respondents do not
appear to be too concerned about is having a charging station in their garage (3.35).
27
10. Currently, the Federal Government offers tax incentives on the
purchase of a Plug-in Hybrid or Electric Vehicle of up to $7,500. At
this time, Maine does not offer any incentives at the state level,
although many other states do. Please answer the following three
questions related to this background information. Would you…
Question
Yes
No
Not Sure
Resp. / %
Resp. / %
Resp. / %
Total
Responses
1. Would you be willing to
purchase a Plug-in Hybrid or
Electric Vehicle without a state tax
incentive?
67 / 60%
13 / 12%
32 / 29%
112
2. Would you support the passage
of state legislation implementing a
financial incentive or tax credit for
the purchase of a Plug-in Hybrid
or Electric Vehicle?
88 / 79%
12 / 11%
11 / 10%
111
3. Would you support the passage
of state legislation implementing a
financial incentive or tax credit for
the development of public
charging stations?
85 / 76%
11 / 10%
16 / 14%
112
28
Question 10 consisted of a series of three questions relating to state tax credits and tax
incentives and Plug-in Hybrid and Electric Vehicles. Responses to all three questions were very
similar.
The first question asked respondents if they would be willing to purchase a Plug-in Hybrid or
Electric Vehicle without a state tax incentive. The majority of respondents indicate they would
be willing to purchase such a vehicle without a tax incentive (60%).
The second question asked respondents if they would support passage of state legislation that
implements a financial incentive or tax credit for the purchase of Plug-in Hybrids or Electric
Vehicles. Respondents indicate, overwhelmingly, that they would support such legislation
(79%).
The third question asked respondents if they would support passage of state legislation that
implements a financial incentive or tax credit for the development of public charging stations.
Respondents indicate they are largely supportive of such legislation (76%).
While these results are encouraging, it should be noted that this survey was deliberately sent to
respondents identified as “early adopters” and may not reflect the views of the general public.
29
11. Do you live in Portland, South Portland, or Westbrook -our
current study area?
#
Answer
Response
%
1
Portland
77
68%
2
South
Portland
20
18%
3
Westbrook
5
4%
4
Other
12
11%
Total
114
100%
Other (please indicate city and state where you live)*
1. Cape Neddick, ME 03902
2. Old Orchard Beach Me
3. Falmouth Maine
4. Scarborough
5. Naples, ME
6. Brunswick
7. Tenants Harbor, ME
8. Brunswick
9. Deer Isle, Maine
10. Windsor, Maine
11. Standish
12. Did Not Indicate
30
This survey was primarily focused on understanding attitudes and demand related to Plug-In
Hybrids and Electric Vehicles in the most urban part of the Greater Portland Area; including
residents of Portland, South Portland and Westbrook, our study area. The response pool was
expanded somewhat, when we reached out through a separate email to interested parties of our
Maine Clean Communities’ program, which covers the entire state, though the responses came
from Southern Maine.
As is evident, the bulk of respondents for this survey live in Portland, South Portland or
Westbrook (90%), with Portland most heavily represented at 68%.
12. How far -one way- is your daily commute to work?
#
Answer
Response
%
1
Under 1 Mile
19
24%
2
1-5 Miles
26
33%
3
6-10 Miles
22
28%
4
11-20 Miles
13
16%
Total
80
100%
Question 12 asked respondents how far their one-way commute to work is. Only 66% of
respondents answered this question (80 responses from a total of 122), suggesting that many
respondents are either retired, or not currently working. In addition to the categories
represented in the table and graph above, answer choices included: ’21-30 miles’, ’31-50
miles’, and ‘51+ miles’. These categories received no responses and were therefore excluded.
31
The results indicate that all respondents who currently work live within 20 miles of their
workplace. Taken together, those who indicate they live within 5 miles of their workplace
account for 57% of responses to the question.
Since the current electric-only range of Plug-In Hybrids is about 14 to 40 miles and the range of
pure electric vehicles is between 65 and 100 miles, these results suggest that most -if not allrespondents who commute to work would be able to do so on a single charge.
13. What year were you born?
#
Answer
Response
%
1
Under 40 yrs
27
24%
2
41-65 yrs
67
60%
3
66+ yrs
18
16%
Total
112
100%
The above graph shows the ages of respondents. The question received 112 responses, and
demonstrates that most respondents can be characterized as “older.” Respondents under 40
years old comprise 24% of those who answered the question, whereas 60% fall between 41 and
65 years old; the remaining 16% are 66-plus years old.
32
14. What is your combined annual household income?
#
Answer
Response
%
1
Under
$20,000
1
1%
2
20,00029,999
2
2%
3
30,00039,999
6
6%
4
40,00049,999
8
7%
5
50,00059,999
20
19%
6
60,00069,999
12
11%
7
70,00079,999
3
3%
8
80,00089,999
6
6%
9
90,00099,999
6
6%
10
100,000109,999
9
8%
11
110,000119,999
1
1%
12
120,000129,999
3
3%
13
130,000139,999
2
2%
33
14
140,000149,999
2
2%
15
150,000+
11
10%
16
Prefer Not to
Answer
16
15%
Total
108
100%
92 respondents (85% of those who answered the question) shared their combined annual
household income, while the remaining 16 respondents (15%) selected ‘prefer not to answer’.
Although the survey generated 122 responses overall, it appears as though several
respondents either skipped the question entirely or exited the survey early.
Of those who answered the question, a large portion of respondents (43%) live in households
with combined incomes of between $30,000 and $70,000. Additionally, a strong contingent of
respondents (10%) reported combined incomes of $150,000 or more.
15. Is there anything else you would like to add that this survey did
not address?
Statistic
Value
Total Responses
38
-Comments Organized by CategorySupport/Excitement
 I have written to Portland City Council, CMP, and large companies like LL Bean inquiring
of their interest in support and installation of public charging stations. I am very
interested in how our state can help build a recharging infrastructure. I even had a
discussion with former governor of Maine Angus King that we need to make this happen.
I am glad to have received this questionnaire as I was hoping such an organization
existed. We need to make this happen and be a leader. Wouldn't that be great!
 It is important, I believe, that as we move into an era (I hope of energy efficient, shorter
range cars) we also move ahead in the area of mass transport for longer distances such as buses & trainings & affordable planes. I know hybrids are great for shorter
distances and that statistics prove most of our driving is for these short distances however, when we travel longer distances more affordable distance carriers are needed.
 I'm excited that the Greater Portland area is looking into the feasibility of these vehicles.
I do believe we'll all be driving them eventually.
 Fully support efforts to promote hybrid/plug-in/electric vehicle use.
 Thanks for looking into green forms of transportation. Hopefully, it will become much
more mainstream sooner rather than later.
34
 I think getting off of petroleum products is highly important for political reasons and
supports any policies that help us do this including renewable energy, public
transportation etc. Very important to keep our money in this country.
 This is very exciting. Please give it more publicity!
Suggestions
 I work at Unum in Portland. You should encourage them to install charging stations in
their employee parking lots.
 Suggest that the "free" parking stations be combined with the public charging stations.
 Perhaps encouraging local businesses to have charge stations for their employees? (For
example, I work at IDEXX, which is about to start building a new building and renovating
the parking lot)
 State level tax incentive would be HUGE. Probably not going to happen under this
legislature or Governor. Turnpike $ savings would also be HUGE. I think
Portland/Westbrook/Cape/Scarborough are in a position to drive leadership of Electrified
vehicles. A few charging stations can go a long way in terms of educating the public.
Local building/development code is another HUGE example - require new developments
to install charging stations - or at the very least require them to pre-wire, so that
tenant/condo owners can easily install their own charging stations. Charging stations
in city owned parking facilities. Pilot chargers on street. Business incentives to install
chargers in biz lots. Especially The Mall - and other shopping centers / restaurants /
etc.
 We are so pleased with our hybrid and the servicing of it. We would like many others to
have this experience, even though they do not have a lot of free cash to get one. That's
where the subsidies come in and the ease of finding charging. I understand that some
advances are being made to set up charging stations - even at home - out of batteries
from decommissioned hybrids that can work on solar power. Actually, it seems enough
electricity can be generated from such a source to help with house needs as well. Can
this be part of your exploration?
 I live in an apartment complex, so it would be good to have incentives for property
owners to install charging stations for their tenants.
Not Practical For My Situation
 I do not own a garage, but would like to own an EV. Without public infrastructure, I
cannot make that transportation choice.
 We are a 1 car family. I think this makes it less likely to purchase the vehicles mentioned
because we would require a long-range, easily recharged capability.
 We would buy a plug in or electric car NOW, but we are paying for college for the next 3
years. We would use for shorter trips (like our commute to Portland for work, even if
there is no charging network, but would be much more likely to buy a plug in or electric
35




vehicle as our second car (replacing our Prius) if there was a network. We do not have
a garage. Hope we don't need one to have a plug in or electric car!!
Right now I cannot drive due to a stroke. That is the only reason I sold my Prius.
My answers appear inconsistent because, although I would dearly like to be able to
purchase an all-electric vehicle, I live in downtown Portland and house my car in a public
garage with monthly parking. This is no way to charge such a vehicle other than tossing
a very long extension cord over my balcony, which is impractical. It would not be safe to
leave the car overnight in the alley.
I live in an apartment building and park in the parking lot. No plug-ins there!
Is it essential to have a garage to hold the charging station? I don't have a garage and
many homes in Maine don't have garages.
Policy Related Comments/Questions
 How will my highway taxes be collected?
 At least try to keep the additional excise tax from applying to the added cost of the
vehicle over a non-chargeable counterpart.
 After buying a hybrid car I would have a tough time going back to any vehicle with lower
mileage. At the same time PHEV or EVs don't appeal to me for an entirely different
reason: all of our vehicles can do better. A Japanese version of the Prius does 75mpg.
A Jaguar XJS in Europe does 50 Mpg. The reason we don't do that here is vehicles are
too heavy. That, in turn, is due to safety regulations. So, the future of EVs is not
appealing because car manufacturers will have to produce cars that are effectively
heavier to satisfy all the regulations. A PHEV/EV is a technical solution to an adaptive
problem. I would support any legislation to a) make it more difficult to drive an average
car in the city b) change public transportation, bike, walking paths etc. faster than any
EV initiative.
 Gas tax replacement -- how to pay for transportation without a tax from gas
 I am not in favor of any State tax incentives, UNLESS they are subsidized by someone
other than the taxpayers; the state doesn't have any money as it is!
Concern About Source of Pollution
 Electric vehicle proponents who don't identify the sources of pollution generated by the
electrical generators who are providing electricity in Maine.
 What do you think--There is no pollution from generating electricity? Do you think
electricity is cheap?
 I have a concern about kicking the can down the road and increasing electric power
generation. I would like to buy a diesel hybrid for my next car. I've had my Prius almost 8
years and it's performed well, but it's too big.
Happy With the Prius or Current Model
 Current price of gas (~$3.75) and fuel efficiency has made Prius ownership costeffective relative to competing models.
36
 I am actually most likely to convert the hybrid I own to a plug in status using an existing
conversion company.
 We would not consider purchasing a plug in hybrid but are completely happy with our
2010 Prius. We previously owned a 2006 Prius and I expect that we will continue to
purchase this make in the future.
Lack of Knowledge About Electric Vehicles
 There is a great lack of knowledge about these types of vehicles.
 I am interesting in purchasing a hybrid vehicle, but know less about the other two
technologies.
Other/Miscellaneous
 Other vehicles retained....pickup truck, van, bicycle, older fuel efficient car. Long
distance travel in rural Maine; power draining accessories sacrificed.
 I would also like to see electric/hybrids that run on biodiesel. I never see biodiesel
available at fuel pumps.
 The fact that EVs have so many fewer parts to go wrong and maintain is an excellent
feature. Also, we have been very happy with the quality we have experienced in our
Toyota Prius. I don't have the same confidence in Chevy Volt because of the
manufacturer's history of avoiding development of non-gasoline engine vehicles.
 How much will it cost will determine if it makes any sense.
 Would also consider lease ability
The additional comments suggest that despite some skepticism -especially about where the
electricity is generated (“What do you think –there is no pollution from generating electricity?”),
for the most part, respondents appear to be enthusiastic about new developments in the electric
vehicle sector (“This is very exciting. Please give it more publicity!”). A number of respondents
also mention they are very satisfied with their Prius or current hybrid; these respondents appear
more likely to wait until their current vehicle dies and then purchase the same vehicle due to its
proven track record (“… we have been very happy with the quality we have experienced in our
Toyota Prius. I don’t have the same confidence in Chevy Volt because of the manufacturer’s
history of avoiding development of non-gasoline engine vehicles.”). Lastly, a few respondents
report that while they are interested in Plug-in Hybrids and Electric Vehicles, they currently live
in an apartment building, or house without a garage, which they believe makes ownership
impractical due to lack of charging infrastructure, although many multi-family housing facilities in
other parts of the country are putting in charging infrastructure. (“I don’t have a garage and
many homes in Maine don’t have garages.”).
37
Appendix II
Maps of Potential Locations for EVSE in the
Greater Portland Region Including “Top Sites”
(See attached.)
38