by yiming fu<\/strong><\/p>\n
washington \u2013 surrounded by a dozen electric buses and a few other electric vehicles outside the department of transportation building wednesday, secretary of transportation pete buttigieg called on congress to fund electric vehicle initiatives\u2014especially in polluted and low-income communities. <\/p>\n
\nconsumers have been turning to electric vehicles as they reduce fuel costs and carbon emissions. in 2020, 1.1 million battery-powered passenger vehicles were on u.s. roads, according to the international energy agency<\/a>. the industry has also expanded beyond passenger vehicles to battery-powered motorcycles, buses, delivery and garbage trucks, buttigieg said. <\/p>\n
\nmalina sandhu, business development director for lion electric co.<\/a> \u2013\u2013 a zero-emissions electric school bus manufacturer \u2013\u2013 said making electric vehicles affordable is an equity issue. <\/p>\n
lion electric co. is working to bring its school buses to diverse communities, sandhu said.<\/p>\n
but jackie piero, vice president of policy at nuvve corp<\/a>., which develops charging stations, said electric school buses cost three times more than current buses.<\/p>\n
\nthe bipartisan infrastructure bill <\/a>before congress includes a $7.5 billion investment in electric vehicle charging and more than $10 billion for zero and low-emission buses. if passed, this money would bolster the country\u2019s ev infrastructure to be internationally competitive, and it would connect more americans with evs. <\/p>\n