The Indiana Energy Association (IEA), an electric and gas utility organization, has proposed using the state’s $40.9 million settlement from the Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust Fund to create an electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure.
The trust fund is part of Volkswagen’s $2.9 billion settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Volkswagen illegally used devices to defeat emission tests for certain diesel vehicles. The settlement mitigates the excessive nitrogen oxide emissions.
IEA President Mark Maassel told the Indiana Department of Environmental Management that Indiana’s portion of the settlement should replace the state’s diesel fleet vehicles with electric and natural gas vehicles.
He also suggested $6.1 million be used to install a network of direct current, fast-charging electric-vehicle stations along the state’s major highways called the Crossroads of America EV Interstate Corridor. These would add to the state’s 23 publicly available charging stations, all but six of which are in the Indianapolis metropolitan area.
These proposals would significantly improve air quality in the state, Maassel said.
“To have cleaner air, we need cleaner vehicles,” Maassel said. “We believe transitioning from diesel to electric and natural-gas vehicles is an important step toward ensuring cleaner air for all Hoosiers.”
Members of IEA include Duke Energy and Indianapolis Power & Light Company.