What Public Policy Best Promotes Electric Vehicle Adoption in Rural America

Presenter

Keegan Matthew Kerr

Campus

UMass Amherst

Sponsor

Hernan D. Bejarano, Department of Resource Economics, UMass Amherst

Schedule

Session 1, 10:30 AM - 11:15 AM [Schedule by Time][Poster Grid for Time/Location]

Location

Poster Board C8, Poster Showcase Room (163), Row 1 (C1-C10) [Poster Location Map]

Abstract

With climate change becoming a greater threat to the global population's health, safety, and economic well-being, the need to transition away from greenhouse gas emitting internal combustion vehicles has never been more urgent. In the United States, the transportation sector accounts for 28% of all greenhouse gas emissions. If the U.S. is to succeed in its 2030 goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50% over 2005 levels, widespread adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) must take place. However, barriers such as high cost, poor charging infrastructure, and ideological opposition have hindered broader adoption. These issues are more acute in the often poorer, more conservative, and geographically isolated rural regions of the United States. Therefore, effective public policies must adequately address barriers facing rural consumers, constituting roughly 18% of the population. This research set out to find which policies best incentivized rural Americans by utilizing ordinary least squares regressions to analyze the impact of relevant federal and state laws on rural EV market share. Market share figures dating back to September 2018 in the state of North Carolina were regressed along multiple dependent variables—such as the implementation of charging infrastructure policies—to study their effectiveness. Regression analysis found federal charging infrastructure funding passed in the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Act had a significant impact in increasing the rural market share of electric vehicles. These results can yield insights that better equip lawmakers to implement and sustain policies that address the unique needs of rural consumers.

Keywords

Electric Vehicles, Environment, Policy, Economics

Research Area

Business & Economics

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