Other renewables

National Report on Electric Vehicles

The Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs will release an expert report Wednesday that lays out the steps the United States must take to be assured of a global leadership role in the emerging electric vehicle industry.

Plug-In Electric Vehicles: A Practical Plan for Progress represents a first-ever evaluation of one of President Obama’s chief environmental campaign goals — putting one million electric vehicles on U.S. highways by 2015.

John D. Graham, dean of the School of Public and Environmental Affairs, organized the panel. Former Ford Motor Co. Vice President Gurminder Bedi chaired the group, whose yearlong evaluation is the work of experts from government, the auto industry and environmental groups.

The work of a 13-member blue ribbon panel, the report will be released at a news conference Wednesday (Feb. 2) at 10 a.m. EST at the National Press Club, 529 14th St. NW, Washington, D.C. Bedi will be present for the news conference and Graham will take part by phone.

The report comes as the administration and Congress are preparing a fresh push for electric vehicles, including legislation to more than double the tax credit consumers receive for purchasing a plug-in electric vehicle and a competitive grant program for communities to develop charging stations and electric-car requirements.

www.indiana.edu/