After initially excluding them, the state now includes electric trucks in Florida's plans for about $48 million specifically meant for projects to reduce harmful emissions. Public feedback prompted the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to revise its initial plans for how to spend the money.
The $48 million is from the state's share of so-called Volkswagen funds, paid by the car company into a mitigation trust fund after allegedly violating the Clean Air Act by selling "trick" vehicles designed to cheat federal emissions tests. States received payouts from the mitigation fund based on how many "trick" vehicles were registered in each state, according to the EPA.
Florida's total share was $166 million. So far, most of it has gone to electric bus projects. With the state's remaining roughly $48 million, FDEP wants to help public and private fleet operators upgrade to lower-emission freight trucks.
But up until recently, FDEP's plans didn't include electric trucks in the list of lower-emission options eligible for the funds. Now, after FDEP received public feedback on the plans, electric trucks are on the list.
Stan Cross is director of electric transportation for the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, one of several electrification stakeholder groups that urged FDEP to revise its plans. He said he's happy to see EV eligibility preserved.
"Electric transportation stakeholders were clear in our comments: not including electric vehicles as eligible for Volkswagen settlement funding amounted to government meddling in the free market," Cross said. "Now that EVs are eligible, public and private fleet operators can choose the alternative fuel technology that best suits their needs."
Along with electric trucks, FDEP's plans also list trucks powered by "new diesel," compressed natural gas and propane as eligible, lower-emission upgrade options for fleets. Cross said EVs are the best option.
"Only electric vehicles zero out tailpipe emissions. All the other alternative fuels still pollute," Cross said. "EVs are also the most affordable vehicles in the long term, because electricity is the cheapest transportation fuel and EVs have the lowest maintenance costs.
"So an EV might be the best tool for the job, and having EVs eligible for the funding empowers fleet operators to make that decision."
Fleet operators of vehicles used in community service, disaster management and emergency response functions will get funding priority, according to FDEP.
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To date, nearly 70% of Florida's Volkswagen funds have gone to electric school bus and transit bus projects, and just under 8% to electric vehicle charging infrastructure (EVCI) projects. Neither category will be funded with the state's remaining $48 million, according to FDEP's finalized plans.
Some of the public comments submitted to FDEP urged the state to continue to use Volkswagen funds to support electric bus and EV-charging projects. But FDEP "determined that it is in the interest of the state, the public, and the intended beneficiaries of the Volkswagen Settlement" not to do so.
Projects previously funded in both categories — electric buses and EV charging infrastructure — proved to be more lengthy and expensive than initially anticipated, according to FDEP. There were "long lead times needed to purchase eligible electric buses that meet fleet operators' needs." And for EV charging sites, some projects weren't finished until more than three years after the date of the grant award to complete.
As of October, there are more than 4,000 EV-charging stations in Florida, including 42 EVCI projects funded by money from the Volkswagen settlement.
"We would have liked to see funding still made available for charging infrastructure, but are happy to see that electric vehicle eligibility is preserved," Cross said. "Getting vehicles on the road that are driving on affordable and clean electricity is important and should be a top priority for the state."
Compared to other states in the Southeast, Florida ranks first for EV sales, according to SACE's latest annual report.
In August, FDEP's draft plans estimated the state had nearly $41 million of Volkswagen funds left to spend. Between the state's remaining project funds and interest accrued on those funds, Florida's actual remaining balance is more than $48 million, according to the state's new, finalized plans.
Florida has been slower than many other states to spend its Volkswagen dollars, according to energy industry members. The state plans to wrap up the fund by 2027.
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