Release: Mayor Joe Hogsett and Office of Sustainability Celebrate Achievement of Another Thrive Goal from City's Sustainability Plan

To date, the City has convened six educational opportunities for Marion County residents to increase awareness and benefits of electric vehicle ownership
 


INDIANAPOLIS –  The Indianapolis Office of Sustainability today announced the achievement of an eleventh action item outlined in Thrive Indianapolis, the sustainability and resilience action plan that charts a course to citywide carbon neutrality by 2050. The goal, "host six in-person educational opportunities for Marion County residents to increase awareness of benefits of electric vehicle (EV) ownership" is considered complete after this past weekend's successful, third annual Indy EV Showcase.

In the spring of 2021, the City launched an informational campaign called Highly EVolved to help educate the public on the benefits and realities of EVs, as well as dispel common myths about electrification through an interactive website, billboards, and digital and radio advertisements. Focused primarily on EV education and awareness, the website highlights EV performance, range, and affordability; local charger options and locations; the new generation of EVs available in Central Indiana and where to purchase them.

"Electric vehicle education is an important part of the City's comprehensive efforts to scale and implement climate solutions that will help grow the local economy, as well as improve air quality and create more equitable infrastructure," said Mayor Joe Hogsett. "As the technology improves and becomes more affordable, we will continue to equip community members with the knowledge to make the decisions that are best for their families and businesses." 

During the pandemic, the Office of Sustainability adjusted the timeline and framework of potential educational opportunities. The result was a catalog of webinar recordings and digital toolkits available online for community members' and business owners' ongoing benefit.

The City has convened the following EV educational opportunities in the past three years:

  • EV Workplace Charging Workshop - September and October 2020 (virtual)

  • EV Workplace Charging & Fleet Electrification Workshop - September 2021 (virtual)

  • Indy EV Showcase - September and October of 2021 on Monument Circle (two days)

  • Indy EV Showcase - October 2022 at St. Luke's United Methodist Church

  • EV Ride & Drive - August 2023 at 16 Tech

  • Indy EV Showcase - October 2023 at 16 Tech

Highly EVolved directly connects to an objective of the transportation and land use section of Thrive Indianapolis, which is to increase EV ownership by 300% by 2025 from the 2017 baseline of 760 vehicles. At the end of 2022, 2,666 EVs were registered in Marion County. According to a 2016 inventory, transportation accounts for roughly one-third of Indianapolis's citywide greenhouse gas emissions, and transportation emissions are among the fastest-rising among all emitting sectors in the U.S.

These EV education projects, as well as the Knozone regional air quality initiative, are funded through the Federal Highway Administration's Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Improvement Program. CMAQ provides flexible funding for state and local governments to reduce congestion, help meet the requirements of the Clean Air Act, and improve air quality for areas that do not meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ozone, carbon monoxide, or particulate matter.

Indianapolis community members and organizations interested in collaborating or forming partnerships that will contribute to building resilience amidst the changing climate are invited to email sustainindy@indy.gov to discuss opportunities.

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Lindsay Trameri