By Adrianna Lawrence

People who own electric vehicles often try to help other drivers understand the investment, and benefits.

EV owner Jess Wooten is no exception. Wooten is on his second Tesla Model 3.

“I definitely wanted to be more sustainable with my purchases and I felt that getting an electric vehicle was a great investment,” Wooten said.

He offered to drive a Capital News Service reporter around Richmond to detail his experience owning one.

Wooten estimated he has driven approximately 10,500 miles. “I’ve spent $105 as of today,” he said about his “fuel” cost.

Electric vehicle owners and industry advocates all talk about the savings. After all, the state average for a gallon of regular gas at the beginning of May was $3.39. The national average was $3.58 per gallon, according to AAA.

But, the entry cost to EV ownership can be high for the average consumer, even with federal and state tax credit incentives.

Regardless, EV registration is on the rise in Virginia. There were 55,823 EVs registered in the state as of March 31, according to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles.

And there will be many more registered in the next 12 years, due to the state mandate that all new vehicles sold must be electric by 2035. The first checkpoint along the timeline to fulfill that mandate is 35% of all new cars and trucks sold in Virginia with a 2026 model year must be electric.

Lawmakers and citizens are worried about the obstacles along the way to complete the switch.

Virginia legislators passed the Clean Car law in 2021, which was adopted from the California standard. Virginia was the 15th state of 17 to adopt California’s standards, according to the California Air Resources Board. The state applied for an Environmental Protection Agency waiver to expand standards under the federal Clean Air Act.

Transportation is the biggest contributor of air pollution in the state, according to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. State Democratic lawmakers passed the 2021 legislation along party lines when they had control of the General Assembly.

Republicans recently supported legislation to reverse the law, which takes effect next year.

Lawmakers questioned if the state and consumers are ready to support an EV-only market by 2035. Other concerns included the initial cost to purchase an electric vehicle, continued maintenance cost, if Virginia’s power grid can sustain EV charging stations, and the overall impact on the automotive industry.

Going EV: Cost of ownership

Electric vehicles are usually more expensive than gas-powered cars, according to Bill Magavern, policy director for the Coalition for Clean Air in California. The average EV price is just over $61,000, according to Kelly Blue Book data from December 2022.

Manufacturers have focused too much on production of luxury EVs, Magavern said. But they will have to market to all consumers soon, especially with the obligation to sell zero-emission cars.

Some manufacturers have already announced affordable EVs coming to the market, Magavern said.

“Ford, Volkswagen — the companies that do tend to cater to every class of buyers, they’ve announced plans to do that,” Magavern said. “The manufacturers are getting better at learning how to make affordable cars.”

The compact sedan Tesla Model 3 is currently the most affordable Tesla offering. It is often compared to the Toyota Corolla in size but the starting price is higher, even with the current EV tax credit, according to manufacturer websites.

Tesla promised a newer entry level model is on the way, and also to reduce EV assembly costs by half, AP news reported.

The five-passenger, hatchback Chevy Bolt starts at $26,500 and is eligible for a tax credit, according to Car and Driver.

Electric vehicles are cheaper than gas-powered cars when consumers take into account the maintenance costs and gas money to power them, according to Magavern.

EV owners and advocates tout the entry level price as comparable to other vehicles, but most lower priced EVs are smaller in size, according to a survey of auto manufacturer websites.

Charging up: Virginia’s power grid

Electric vehicle drivers generally spend the equivalent of $1 per gallon for a complete charge, according to Kate Staples, director of electrification for Dominion Energy.

An EV owner would use about 10 kilowatt hours to charge an electric vehicle, or an estimated monthly 300 kilowatt hours, according to Staples. Drivers would see about a 30% increase in an electric bill, according to Staples.

“While your electric bill might go up, you’re certainly going to be saving in your pocketbook from not having to go to the gas station,” Staples said.

Dominion Energy is the state’s largest public electric utility. Virginia’s electrical grid is currently powered by nuclear, natural gas, renewable energy and some coal and oil, Staples said.

The future grid in 2035 will be able to sustain the demand of more electric vehicles on the road and support the Clean Car law, Staples said.

Dominion is required to regularly file plans every few years on how it will meet Virginia’s power needs in the next 15 to 30 years, Staples said.

“As the needs of our customers grow, we will be planning the grid to serve them,” Staples said.

Dominion Energy is moving toward cleaner cars and a cleaner power grid, regardless of whether or not the law is implemented, Staples said. Dominion aims, in part, to help meet that goal through the Coastal Offshore Wind Project.

Going the distance: How to ‘fuel’ up

An EV can drive 150 to 400 miles on average before it needs to be recharged, according to the Department of Energy, although many drivers plug in daily.

There are three different types of chargers:

‒ Level 1 charging: provides 5 miles of distance per one hour charge

‒ Level 2 charging: provides 25 miles of distance per one hour charge

‒ Level 3, or DC fast charging: charges in approximately 30 minutes for a 100 to 200-plus mile trip

“I actually find that it can be a very pleasant way to take a trip,” Magavern said, when drivers plan accordingly. “You do a lot of charging while you’re eating lunch, for example.”

Virginia continues to roll out more EV chargers across the state, according to Trip Pollard, senior attorney for the Southern Environmental Law Center.

Fast chargers will eventually be within 30 miles of 90% of Virginians, Pollard said.

Virginia received incremental federal funding for charging infrastructure that will ultimately exceed $100 million, according to Pollard. The state will receive more funding from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure, or NEVI program.

“That’s probably the most significant thing that’s happening right now in Virginia to prepare us,” Pollard said.

Private businesses such as Tesla and Plug In America have already installed charging stations across the state, Pollard said. There are currently 1,142 public charging stations in Virginia, according to the Department of Energy’s fueling locator.

The General Assembly passed legislation in 2018 and 2019 to expand charging infrastructure. Failed lawmaker efforts in the recent session would have empowered localities to require charging stations as part of new, larger developments.

“The entire market is shifting toward more electric vehicles,” Pollard said.

Building the fleet: Manufacturer response

Many major auto manufacturers have promised that 40% to 50% of sales will be electric by 2030. Honda hopes to expand to 100% EV sales by 2040.

General Motors plans to offer a full suite of electric vehicles, including affordable, luxury and trucks, according to Matt Ybarra, GM senior manager for public policy communications.

“GM has laid out its plan to be carbon neutral by 2040 in global products and operations, and plans to eliminate tailpipe emissions from new light-duty vehicles in leading markets by 2035,” Ybarra stated in email.

About 80% of the assembly process for electric vehicles is similar to gas-powered vehicle production, due to investment in production plants, Ybarra stated.

Seventeen car manufacturers have promised to go electric, some within five years, according to Consumer Reports.

Gas-powered vehicles will still cruise Virginia roads after 2035, but all new sales will cease. Some lawmakers are concerned that residents will look to surrounding states and drive revenue out of Virginia.

Adopting the playbook: What California is doing

California has taken many steps to prepare for the Clean Car standard, Magavern said.

The state currently receives federal tax incentives toward EV purchases. This helps lower the upfront costs associated with electric vehicles, Magavern said. California incentivizes automakers to manufacture electric cars that cost less than $20,275 but only for model years between 2026 through 2028, according to the Associated Press.

Lawmakers established the Virginia Electric Vehicle Rebate Program in 2021, but have not funded the program, according to the state budget. In theory, the program would offer $2,500 rebates for new and used electric models from select state dealers.

California utility companies also offer incentives for charging during off-peak hours. Less electricity is used to charge between midnight and 8 a.m., Magavern said.

“Then that actually helps to spread out the cost of the grid over the 24-hour period,” Magavern said.

Virginia offers something similar through Dominion Energy’s Off-Peak Plan but with a limited 10,000-customer capacity.

Getting to know the EV: ‘Take a test drive’

Other states that implement this standard should educate residents on electric vehicles, and focus on charging infrastructure, Magavern said.

“A great way to do that is by having ride and drives, where people have the experience of driving the car and you know, they can easily be shown how to charge them,” Magavern said.

On a relatively quiet test drive around a loud city, Wooten talked about why he first bought an EV. He switched to a Tesla with tax incentives and credits, Wooten said.

Incentives are a big factor to consider when making the switch. Legislators should push consumers to switch to electric cars, according to Wooten.

Manufacturers should be pushed with deadlines to offer electric options. That requirement is essential, Wooten said.

“I think not everyone will make that push on their own and sometimes some correct legislations or incentives like a tax incentive, I think that’s a great way to encourage people to buy electric vehicles,” Wooten said.

He encouraged drivers to just go test drive one.

“Drive any electric vehicle that you’re curious about and you’ll be surprised because these cars are incredibly quick, they’re fun to drive, you won’t believe how fast they can go,” Wooten said.

Tesla steering wheels can even act as a game controller for video games like Mario Kart while parked, according to Wooten.

He shared it is one of the many reasons he enjoys his electric vehicle.

The City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities invites residents and commuters who utilize areas around Libbie Avenue and Cary Street Road to attend a public meeting to learn more about the sanitary sewer replacement project currently impacting traffic in the area.

The meeting is being held on Tuesday, February 28, from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. in St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church’s large fellowship hall located at 6000 Grove Avenue. Work will occur in the 1st Council District along the 0 block of Libbie Avenue and the 5400-5500 block of Cary Street Road in the Stonewall Court and Lockgeen neighborhoods.

City officials and DPU project managers will provide details on the area’s sewer improvement project to replace deteriorating sewer mains which are at risk of imminent failure. The project scope, project plans, and traffic impacts will be discussed. The seven-month project, which started at the end of January, is broken up into three phases and is anticipated to be completed in August. Project work hours are scheduled from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, Monday through Friday. Details of the project phases and anticipated timelines are as follows:

• Phase 1 – Duration: 6 weeks. 0 block of Libbie Avenue closed to thru traffic from Cary Street Road to Matoaka Road
• Phase 2 – Duration: 5 weeks. Cary Street Road is closed to thru traffic in both directions from Three Chopt Road to Tuckahoe Boulevard
• Phase 3 – Duration: 17 weeks. Eastbound lane of Cary Street Road closed to thru traffic from Three Chopt Road to Tuckahoe Boulevard

For more details about this project, visit the project page.

By Wyatt Gordon

Since last fall, crashes on Sudley Road have claimed the lives of Del. Danica Roem’s constituents just last week, in December and twice in September. Add in the two pedestrians recently run over and killed by drivers on adjacent roads in her Prince William County district, and it’s easy to understand why the Northern Virginia lawmaker chose transportation safety as one of her top legislative priorities this year.

In 2022, the number of road fatalities in the commonwealth broke 1,000 for the first time in 15 years, with people walking and biking comprising a disproportionate share of deaths. However, late last month House Republicans killed Roem’s proposal to dedicate 10% of Virginia’s budget surplus to safety improvements. With the danger on our roadways reaching near-record levels, why isn’t the General Assembly prioritizing transportation safety?

‘Dead people don’t benefit from tax breaks’

One of the more unexpected results of people staying home to avoid COVID was that empty roads allowed dangerous drivers to go wild, sending the sum of traffic deaths — and especially of pedestrians — sky high. After Virginia witnessed 968 people die on its roadways in 2021, Roem decided to go after additional safety dollars last year and introduced HB 546 that would have required that 10% of any General Fund surplus be invested in roadway safety. Since Virginia is a rather fiscally frugal state, the proposal would have resulted in millions more dollars each year going to improve transportation infrastructure.

Instead of passing Roem’s proposal, the General Assembly actually cut $135 million from the Commonwealth Transportation Fund when it eliminated the grocery tax last year. A minimum $437 million plan from Gov. Youngkin to suspend the gas tax for several months, which would have caused an even larger hit to transportation funding, was also defeated in 2022. The focus on giveaways over increased investments in safety only angered Roem further.

“Dead people don’t benefit from tax breaks,” she said. “How dare anyone claim we have a transportation surplus, when I’ve got constituents getting hurt and killed on roadways where we know for a fact that the infrastructure is the reason that those crashes are caused in the first place, we have a plan to do something about it and we’re not funding it because we get told we don’t have the money?”

After spending the last year in conversation with Virginia Department of Transportation Commissioner Stephen C. Birch, Roem modeled HB 2379 — her 2023 version of her transportation safety funding proposal — on two existing mechanisms that transfer a portion of any General Fund surplus to the state’s rainy day fund and a water quality fund. Despite her efforts and a lack of opposition, late last month the bill was killed on a party-line vote in a House transportation subcommittee.

“I’m trying to find a way to fund transportation without cutting other programs or raising taxes by using a budget surplus to keep our constituents alive,” Roem said. “What less offensive way is there to make the case that we are chronically, severely underfunding transportation to our constituents’ detriment and deaths? We have lost over the last four years more than 3,500 people on Virginia roadways. Since I’ve been in office how many thousands of people have died?”

A federal fix?

Official calculations from the Department of Motor Vehicles are still underway; however, at least 1,010 people died on Virginia roads last year. The final count of traffic fatalities should be confirmed in the coming weeks, but right now “it appears that pedestrian deaths may exceed 15% of total traffic deaths in 2022,” according to Marshall Herman, VDOT’s director of communications.

If that statistic is confirmed, Virginia will be required to spend at least 15% of its Highway Safety Improvement Program dollars on bike and pedestrian projects going forward in order to comply with the Vulnerable Road User Special Rule introduced via the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, or else return that funding to the federal government.

The new rule is a huge shift from the previous system under which states would submit non-binding fatality reduction targets that a third of states didn’t even try to comply with. But the $15.6 billion over five years dedicated to road safety is not nearly enough to make a difference, according to advocates like Beth Osborne of Transportation for America, a national transportation reform group.

“Highway Safety Improvement dollars constitute just 6% of overall federal transportation funding, which makes it a minority of the funding VDOT receives,” she said. “That’s change behind the cushions. Even if VDOT says they are going to dedicate those dollars to vulnerable users and spends it on things unlikely to improve the safety of vulnerable users, that probably would pass muster anyway. The Secretary of Transportation can rethink transportation all he or she wants, but the law is the law, and it doesn’t give him much discretion over how highway funding is used.”

Even a 2021 memo issued by the Federal Highway Administration encouraging states to focus Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding on safety improvements and road and bridge maintenance resulted in congressional controversy that continues to simmer after several senators got involved last spring.

“The notion that safety and state of repair would be prioritized was the most offensive thing in the world,” Osborne said. “Now you can’t even cross your fingers and wish super hard that people would fill potholes and make things safer. The Biden administration took a very weak step forward and got their heads cut off. Safety is not anybody’s priority and especially not in Congress.”

Can we fix it?

Unfortunately, Virginia is not alone in its transportation safety crisis. In 2021, 42,915 Americans died due to traffic violence, marking a 16-year high. Although the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has yet to release its 2022 totals, an additional 31,785 Americans died on the country’s roads in just the first nine months of the year, a 0.2% decline over 2021.

Initial totals from the DMV, however, show a worsening situation in the commonwealth, where road fatalities actually increased 4.1% over 2021. Of the 1,010 people taken by traffic violence in Virginia in 2022, 182 were walking or biking when they were killed, a 19.4% increase over the previous year. Out of the 171 pedestrians killed, 60.2% of the total were aged 51 or older according to data from the DMV’s Traffic Records Electronic Data System.

To Brantley Tyndall, president of the Virginia Bicycling Federation, such shocking statistics are red flags, warning that our transportation networks have a problem.

“That is a sign that our infrastructure system needs to change,” he said. “It wasn’t these people’s first time around the block. These people were walking where they have walked their entire lives, and they were killed because traffic is moving faster and drivers are that much less cognizant, whether they are impaired, distracted, or who knows.”

Virginia’s ban on holding a phone while driving was supposed to help reverse the tragic trend toward greater traffic violence, but the “hands free” policy didn’t take effect until July of 2020 — “a rough time to have rolled out a new law,” according to Janet Brooking, the executive director of Drive Smart Virginia. A recent letter from the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission revealed 21,553 charges of violating that law in 2021 alone, but it’s impossible to say what impact the policy may have had in preventing road death totals from being even higher.

What definitely saves lives, experts say, is infrastructure. One of the most promising policy changes to this effect in recent years is a Washington bill that requires the state department of transportation to “incorporate the principles of complete streets with facilities that provide street access with all users in mind, including pedestrians, bicyclists and public transportation users” for state transportation projects costing $500,000 or more.

Perhaps in recognition of the worsening road fatality crisis, last summer the Commonwealth Transportation Board voted to appropriate $672.4 million through fiscal year 2028 to accelerate road safety improvements across Virginia. In January, the CTB also allocated $24.47 million to help fix Route 28 in Prince William County — the issue that propelled Roem to run for her delegate seat in 2018.

Such small steps in the right direction haven’t convinced Roem to drop her dream of expanded transportation safety funding. Indeed, she is committed to introducing a version of this policy before the General Assembly every year until it passes.

“We still have hundreds of millions of dollars of unmet needs just in my district,” she said. “Just because we have some fixes coming in, do not think for a moment that the system is better. It shouldn’t take fatalities for us to make our roadways safer for vehicular traffic, bicyclists and pedestrians.”