A new Oklahoma law on electric vehicle charging stations has been hailed as a model for other states.
The law creates a level playing field for more EV charging stations to be built and also prevents them from being paid for. The new law states that the utility company can’t charge a bill to build an electric vehicle charging station that it owns and operates.
Advocates say this is good news, even for those who don’t drive electric vehicles.
“This law is kind of the gold standard for the country,” said Ryan McKinnon, spokesman for the Charge Ahead Partnership.
McKinnon said Oklahoma’s new law shows the state is open for EV business.
“It creates an open playing field for a lot of companies to invest and get into this market,” McKinnon said.
The new law prevents utilities from building and operating EV charging stations at the expense of Oklahomans.
“It’s fundamentally not really fair for them to do that because it means that maybe your grandmother, maybe someone on a fixed income, someone who will never own or drive an electric vehicle – is paying more every month so that people who do own electric vehicles can charge cheaply,” McKinnon said.
McKinnon said it’s also good news for those who don’t drive EVs, because more companies will be able to build charging stations in more locations across the state.
“It creates an open playing field for a lot of companies to invest and get into this market. You will probably see more EV charging stations as a result,” McKinnon said.
McKinnon said other states, such as Colorado or New Mexico, don’t have similar laws and are seeing the effects.
“What you’re seeing is utilities being very aggressive in raising everybody’s electricity bill so they can open up their own EV charging station,” McKinnon said.
The law is one of hundreds that went into effect on 1 November.