Electricity can be used as a transportation fuel to power plug-in battery electric vehicles. Using electricity from the grid to run vehicles costs less and reduces petroleum consumption and associated tailpipe emissions compared to conventional fuel. Electricity for vehicle battery charging can come from the existing power grid or from distributed renewable sources such as solar or wind energy.
Electric Vehicles
There are three types of electric vehicles on the market: Plug-in Electric Vehicles (PEVs), Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs), and Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs).
Plug-in Electric Vehicles (EVs) are all-electric, battery-powered vehicles, commonly known as EVs. PEVs run on a battery that is charged by plugging the vehicle into charging equipment. This type of electric vehicle cannot run on any form of fuel other than electricity. EVs always operate in all-electric mode and have typical driving ranges of 150 to 300 miles.
Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) are powered by both conventional fuel as well as electricity stored in a battery. PHEVs can operate in all-electric (or charge-depleting) mode for between 20 and 40 miles. After the battery is depleted, PHEVs will operate solely on conventional fuel.
Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs) cannot be plugged in and are powered by an internal combustion engine that runs on conventional fuel. HEVs differ from conventional vehicles by storing energy in a battery through regenerative braking, whereby kinetic energy is captured though the wheels as the car slows down. The energy stored in the battery from regenerative braking assists the engine in HEVs, providing increased fuel economy compared to conventional vehicles.
EV Charging
Oklahoma has an extensive electric vehicle charging network. The farthest distance between fast chargers along major Oklahoma highways and interstates is only 70 miles. Check out chargers along your everyday routes using the Station Locator below.
How Does Charging Work?
EV charging is place-based. Instead of making a trip to a gas station, EV drivers charge wherever they already are.
At-Home Charging: Most plug-in electric vehicle owners do the majority of their charging at home using a common three-prong household outlet. 80-90% of charging happens at home.
Workplace Charging: Employers can help increase the convenience and affordability of driving electric for their employees, attract and retain a cutting-edge workforce, and demonstrate leadership in adopting advanced technologies by providing workplace charging.
Public Charging: EV owners rely on public DC fast charging along highway routes when taking longer distance trips.
Level 1 Charging
2 to 5 miles of range per
1 hour of charging
Provided by a common three-prong, 120V household outlet
Level 2 Charging
10 to 20 miles of range per 1 hour of charging
Provided by 240V outlets (dryer outlet) and dedicated Level 2 charging stations
Most common charging level for daily driving, ideal for single family homes, multifamily buildings, and workplaces
DC Fast Charging
60 to 80 miles of range per
20 minutes of charging
High-power dedicated stations usually located along heavy traffic corridors
Used mostly on long-distance trips
Explore EV Charging Stations in Oklahoma
Incentives & Funding for EVs & Charging
Significant tax credits, rebates and incentives are available for electric vehicles and electric vehicle supply equipment (ESVE) developments. View Incentives & Funding Details
Local Initiatives
With EV adoption skyrocketing, TACC is helping to increase charging access for more people across Eastern Oklahoma.
EVs are not a viable option for many households residing in multifamily buildings that lack on-site charging. TACC is involved in the Vehicle Charging Innovations for Multi-Unit Dwellings (VCI-MUD) Project, a national partnership to bring charging to more multifamily buildings.
Beginning in 2018, usage data were collected and surveys and interviews conducted with site hosts and residents in nine sites around the U.S. to evaluate user experiences with EV charging technologies. With that information, VCI-MUD partners created a charging toolkit that will help residents, building managers/owners, and HOAs to navigate implementing EV charging at MUDs.
For more information, visit https://vci-mud.org/ and check out the “Tools and Resources” section linked in the upper-right corner of the site.
Workplace charging provides great convenience for EV owners, and in some cases is essential for commuters. Employers have a unique opportunity to demonstrate leadership in sustainability and support a more equitable transition to electrified transportation by providing workplace charging for employees.
EMPOWER is an outreach and education project that provides workplaces with support and resources to install charging. Learn more at https://www.workplacecharging.com/.
Tulsa Area Clean Cities is currently scheduling our EMPOWER efforts for 2023. To get your business or industry association involved, please email mmerchant@incog.org.
The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Program created under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021 provides Oklahoma with more than $66 million in federal funding for EV charging infrastructure over the next five years. NEVI will help fill in gaps in our state’s existing network and build out charging in rural and underserved areas, such as Northwestern and Southeastern Oklahoma, allowing EV drivers to confidently travel through all parts of Oklahoma.
Tulsa Area Clean Cities is proud to support the Oklahoma Department of Transportation and Secretary of Energy and Environment throughout the NEVI process.
Read Oklahoma’s NEVI Deployment Plan at https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/evok/documents/Oklahoma_NEVI_Plan.pdf.
Oklahoma’s EV Economy
Francis Energy – Headquartered in Tulsa, Francis Energy is building out EV charging across middle America to eliminate range anxiety and accelerate EV adoption
Spiers New Technologies – An industry-leading full-service provider of “4R” services (remanufacturing/refurbishment, repair, reuse, recycling) for advanced battery packs used in hybrid and electric vehicles with core operations in OKC
IC Bus (Navistar) – The nation’s largest manufacturer of school buses builds their CE Series electric models in Tulsa
Canoo – Start-up EV manufacturer with production, R&D, and software development operations in Tulsa
Rover Taxi – All-electric taxi company serving McAlester, OK and Krebs, OK
Links
Electricity Basics – Learn the basics about electricity as a vehicle fuel from the Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuel Data Center
ChooseEV Savings Calculator – Calculate your estimated savings by switching to an EV
Electrification Coalition – Explore EV policy topics and helpful resources
Plug in America – Build public awareness and advocate for electric vehicles
