One way George Host reÂduces his carÂbon footÂprint is by drivÂing a TesÂla eÂlecÂtric veÂhiÂcle on his northern Minnesota commute to and from Duluth.
The forest biologist from New InÂdeÂpendÂence TownÂship charges his car at home every night, and there are sevÂerÂal spots in the Twin Ports where he can power up. The chalÂlenge comes when Host and othÂers in greatÂer MinÂneÂsoÂta drive farÂther aÂfield — beÂcause the numÂber of electric vehicle batÂtery chargÂers across the state is deÂcidÂedÂly unÂeven.
"In smallÂer comÂmuÂniÂties, you have a difÂferÂent chalÂlenge with [eÂlecÂtric vehiÂcles] than in the metÂro, beÂcause peoÂple tend to travÂel longÂer disÂtances and have less acÂcess to chargÂers," said Tim Sexton, chief susÂtainÂaÂbilÂiÂty ofÂfiÂcer for the MinÂneÂsoÂta Department of Transportation (MnDOT).
But that's chanÂging as more MinÂneÂsoÂtans go eÂlecÂtric. Transportation is now the state's leadÂing source of greenhouse gas emisÂsions, and lawmakers have takÂen note. Encouraging electric vehicle use and buildÂing the ancillary charÂging inÂfraÂstrucÂture is one way, they say, to comÂbat cliÂmate change.
The numÂber of eÂlecÂtric vehiÂcles regÂisÂtered in MinÂneÂsoÂta was 9,401 last year, more than double the number in 2017. Some 10,495 have been regÂisÂtered this year, although the overall number registered statewide is still under 2% of all vehicles, according to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. To supÂport them, more than 300 chargÂing stations of varyÂing caÂpacÂiÂty are loÂcatÂed throughÂout the state, acÂcordÂing to the National ReÂnewÂaÂble Energy Laboratory. Most places to plug in are clusÂtered in the Twin Cities metÂro area.
Drivers outside the cities just have to try a little harder to find their electrical boost.
"You do have to be more planful when you travÂel," said JenÂniÂfer HerrÂmann of Morris, Minn., who drives a Chevy Bolt. "There's reÂalÂly not a great charÂging inÂfraÂstrucÂture when you go west in MinÂneÂsoÂta."
ReÂcentÂly, Gov. Tim Walz called for MinÂneÂsoÂta to adopt CaliÂforÂnia's cleanÂer veÂhiÂcle-ÂeÂmisÂsion rules, which would reÂquire carÂmakÂers to ofÂfer more eÂlecÂtric and hyÂbrid modÂels here. MnDOT says only 19 of the 43 electric modÂels sold nationÂwide are availÂable in MinÂneÂsoÂta, since auto manuÂfacÂturÂers send them to the 13 states with lowÂer eÂmisÂsion standÂards first. If MinÂneÂsoÂta were in the mix, the numÂber of choiÂces availÂable to conÂsumÂers would inÂcrease, as would sales.
But boosting the numÂber of low-eÂmisÂsion vehiÂcles here is an "exÂerÂcise in fuÂtilÂiÂty" withÂout buildÂing the neÂcesÂsary inÂfraÂstrucÂture to charge them, acÂcordÂing to a recent MnDOT reÂport plotting the "Pathways to Decarbonizing Transportation" in the state.
Sexton says it's "a chickÂen-and-egg type of diÂlemÂma" — more peoÂple would likeÂly buy eÂlecÂtric vehiÂcles if they felt conÂfiÂdent the charÂging inÂfraÂstrucÂture were in place. While that's likeÂly true in the Twin Cities, the picÂture beÂcomes more mudÂdled for those livÂing and travÂelÂing beÂyond the seven-counÂty metÂro area.
Many newÂer modÂels of eÂlecÂtric vehiÂcles can travÂel for more than 200 miles beÂfore they need charÂging, but cold weathÂer can sap batÂtery powÂer. That can lead to "range anxÂiÂeÂty" for drivÂers.
"It's that feelÂing you get watchÂing the batÂtery drop and there's no chargÂer nearÂby," Host said. "Your heart rate goes up and you wonÂder how you're going to get someÂwhere. It was a big thing earliÂer on," but not so much now.
In AuÂgust, the MinÂneÂsoÂta PolÂluÂtion Control Agency (MPCA) awardÂed a conÂtract to ZEF Energy Inc. of MinÂneÂapÂolis to inÂstall 22 fast-charÂging staÂtions along highÂways and interstates in BeÂmidÂji, Grand Rapids, DeÂtroit Lakes, St. Cloud, WillÂmar, MarÂshall, RochÂesÂter, Mankato and AlÂbert Lea — a proÂject that will inÂcrease the state's charÂging netÂwork by 1,110 miles. The $1.5 milÂlion in grant monÂey was part of a naÂtionÂal court setÂtleÂment folÂlowÂing the VolksÂwagÂen emisÂsions scanÂdal. AnÂothÂer round of inÂvestÂment in electric vehicle inÂfraÂstrucÂture fuÂeled by the setÂtleÂment is exÂpectÂed to be rolled out soon.
"This is just a start; it's not enÂough," said MPCA spokesÂwomÂan Mary RobÂinÂson. At events throughÂout the state inÂtendÂed to glean pubÂlic inÂput, 94% of the comÂments faÂvored fundÂing for charÂging staÂtions, and many supÂportÂed inÂvestÂing the maxÂiÂmum level alÂlowed by the setÂtleÂment, RobÂinÂson said.
ShanÂnon MorÂtenÂson says she can't make it to the Twin Cities from her home in the northÂwestÂern MinÂneÂsoÂta town of Kennedy driving her Chevy Bolt. The charÂging inÂfraÂstrucÂture doesn't quite line up, so she uses her husband's Chevy AvaÂlanche SUV inÂstead — an irony that's not lost on her. OtherÂwise, she says her electric vehicle works great for her 32-mile commute into Warren, Minn., where she works as the city adÂminÂisÂtraÂtor. "I don't have any trouÂble going back and forth to work," she said.
GenÂerÂalÂly, drivÂers may powÂer up using pubÂlic staÂtions at parks, uniÂverÂsiÂties and along highÂways and interstates, or outÂside priÂvateÂly owned parkÂing garÂages, resÂtauÂrants and shopÂping centers. TesÂla, the CaliÂforÂnia-based electric vehicle manÂuÂfacÂturÂer, has a proÂpriÂetary netÂwork of superÂchargÂers "placed on well-traveled routes and dense urÂban centers," acÂcordÂing to its website.
But 85% of electric vehicle ownÂers simÂply charge up in their own garÂage, said Jukka Kukkonen, who foundÂed PlugInConnect, a St. Paul conÂsultÂing firm. Some use a stanÂdard 120-volt charÂging cord, while othÂers inÂstall 240-volt staÂtions (akin to powÂer for an eÂlecÂtric clothes dryer), which is quickÂer.
"People see aÂdopÂtion in the Twin Cities as hapÂpenÂing fastÂer," Kukkonen said. "But outstate will hapÂpen."
He says comÂmuÂniÂties or hoÂtels inÂterÂestÂed in boostÂing tourÂism would be smart to inÂvest in electric vehicle chargÂers.
But not evÂerÂyÂone is on board. Dan BohmÂer of Moorhead bought a $90,000 JagÂuar I-Pace a year ago beÂcause it was "someÂthing difÂferÂent." He flew to Des Moines to pick up the car and an arduous 24-hour jourÂney back to Moorhead folÂlowed as BohmÂer crissÂcrossed IÂoÂwa and MinÂneÂsoÂta, desÂperÂateÂly in search of charÂging staÂtions.
"I reÂalÂized an eÂlecÂtric veÂhiÂcle in MinÂneÂsoÂta is not a good iÂdeÂa unÂless you live in MinÂneÂapÂolis," he said.
Bohmer eÂvenÂtuÂalÂly sold it.
"It's a very nice car, a loveÂly car," he said. "If I was nevÂer going to take it on the road, it would have been just fine. But that's not my life."
Even though he now drives a Land RovÂer Discovery SUV, he says he'd conÂsider buyÂing anÂothÂer eÂlecÂtric veÂhiÂcle — but only if the charÂging inÂfraÂstrucÂture imÂproves.