A joint study committee tasked with looking at the future of electric vehicles in Georgia and their economic impact on the state, recently adopted its final report in preparation for the upcoming 2023 Legislative session.
The committee was co-chaired by Sen. Steve Gooch (R-Dahlonega) and Rep. Rick Jasperse (R-Jasper). The final report outlines and highlights testimony from 54 speakers and stakeholders, as well as recommendations for possible legislation in the new year.
“The market for electric vehicles continues to expand both across the state and nation,” said Rep. Jasperse. “In order for Georgia to capitalize on the potential electric transportation can bring to our freight and logistics industry, we need to ensure we have the proper infrastructure in place to support expected demand.
“Through our work in this committee, we have proposed several recommendations related to EV charging, permitting, training, and planning to set Georgia up for success as this industry continues to grow.”
The Joint Study Committee on Electrification of Transportation was created as a result of Senate Resolution 463, which was adopted during the 2022 Legislative Session.
Sen. Steve Gooch added, “The committee report will be used as a reference for potential legislation to be introduced in the future and grant the General Assembly the knowledge it needs to make informed decisions on the future of electric vehicles in our state.”
The report points out that many of those experts and stakeholders testifying to the committee are projecting “an exponential increase” in EV adoption across the country and in Georgia within the next 10 years. Several testified that they believe the electrification of vehicles will be the ‘next big technological movement, and supporting industries, such as manufacturing, will likewise be the next arena of economic growth for Georgia.”
Among the issues included in the testimony were concerns over gas tax revenue recovery, utility grid readiness, utility sale of electricity — including retail sales measured by kilowatt hours versus time and sales to public charging stations — and the direct sale of electric vehicles. The report points out that currently, there is a provision in law allowing Tesla to sell electric vehicles directly to consumers and bypass a mandated dealership structure. A bill allowing for the same treatment of EV manufacturer Rivian was presented during the 2022 legislative session but did not cross the finish line. Representatives from Rivian and Lucid Motors petition for the continued and expanded ability to sell EVs directly to consumers.
