BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — By 2035, all new cars sold in New York State will be electric. It's a mandate created by the state to be more environmentally friendly.
Even though it's 12 years away, the conversation on how to make that transition successful has already started.
Driving an electric car will mean a change in mindset for many drivers. The cars need to be plugged in and charged, and that means power grids will take on an additional load that they don't have now. It's something power companies say they are working on, but some politicians, industry leaders and neighbors say they're not convinced it's happening quickly enough.
"We need a lot more progress," said Paul Stasiak, President of the Niagara Frontier Auto Dealers. Stasiak represents local dealers, many of whom are already selling EVs to customers who are early adopters. He says customers are drawn-in by the promise of federal and state rebates, but dealers have found there can be a lot of red tape.
"Tremendous amount of confusion. Discontent. They assume everyone is eligible for the entire $7,500 rebate and that's not true. Where was the car built? Where was the battery built? What's your income level? It's a square peg in a rubik's cube," he said.
If you want to learn more about rebates for electric cars:
- You can read more about the federal rebate program here.
- You can read more about the state rebate program here.
7 News Anchor Katie Morse spoke with one early adopter who had no problem getting the rebate, and says it is actually what drove him to get his Genesis.
"I really like it. I was a little leery because I thought - is this gonna be a pain in the neck or not? And it's really not!" said Arthur Hook. "I got a $7,500 rebate for an electric vehicle and Electrify America gave you, for three years, a half-hour free charging at any station every day."
Hook got his electric car in May. He's been using public chargers once a week and says that's worked for the way he drives.
"I usually just charge once a week on Sunday morning. I will charge, go get something to eat for breakfast, and when I'm done it's all charged," he explained.
Stasiak says along with rebates, there are a lot of questions about public charging and how many more people will need to be using chargers once the mandate is in-place.
"Will we be able to meet the infrastructure requirements? Will we be able to meet the demand for the chargers? Three points on a corner are gas stations with multiple pumps. It takes about 3-5 minutes to fill your car up. It takes a lot more than 3-5 minutes to charge your car," he said.
Michael Prinzi is the President of PPR Energy Solutions, an energy company that has installed hundreds of chargers across Western New York. He says at-home charging is going to be crucial as clean energy initiatives move forward and says if you're considering getting an EV and charging at home, your first call should be to an electrician.
"Some customers need brand new services to accommodate EV chargers. Some customers have plenty of power in their building already or their home," he explained.
He says the next decade is going to be crucial as energy companies work to expand their storage capacities and where we get power from.
"Distributive generation is going to be huge," he said. "Solar panels. More wind. Energy panels at the end of the day. That's how we're gonna make it all work. Right now you throw all these EV charges onto the grid it's never gonna work. But over time, this 10-15 year period - with the distributive generation and aspects of how power is being created - it will work."
Republican State Senator Pat Gallivan, however, disagrees.
"It's impossible. To meet the goals - all the things the climate action scoping plan calls for - it's impossible to meet that and to provide that support with the grid. That's not even accounting for how we're going to pay for it," he said.
Gallivan thinks the state should have considered more of a stepping-stone approach in the transition to EVs, and says hybrid cars may be a better option for people. He also says the costs associated with the state's plans are high - and not just for power companies.
Homeowners who want to charge their cars at their house may need upgraded electrical service - especially in places like the City of Buffalo where homes and wiring are decades old.
Upgrading the service at a house can run homeowners up to $5,000. It is an up-front cost many people won't be able to afford. That's part of the reason why the group Open Buffalo, which is on Jefferson Avenue in Buffalo, is having conversations with neighbors and the state. The group wants to make sure everyone has equal access to charging stations.
"When we talk about where charging stations are in our community that decision shouldn't come from Albany or Washington DC. Those decisions should come from the people directly in the neighborhood," explained Executive Director Franchelle Parker.
Parker says Open Buffalo has a Neighborhood Leadership Group that's helping with a Clean Mobility Project. The goal is to talk to neighbors about what they need to see in the community as the mandate moves forward - from increased electric service to charging stations and improved public transportation. She says clean mobility is important to many of the people she has spoken with.
"They're noticing bronchitis, the frequency in extreme cases of hospitalization around asthma. We're helping community members make the connection where are these spikes in hospitalizations happening. It's happening in high-traffic communities of color," she said.
There are a lot of things to consider as the state transitions to electric vehicles, but perhaps the number one question most people are asking is: Will the power grid be able to handle the added load in 2035? Both National Grid and NYSEG say the companies are already working to make sure that happens.
"We're moving forward with initiatives investing in our systems, rebuilding stations, make sure we have the capacity to meet what we anticipate to be significantly higher electric demand," said National Grid Regional Director Ken Kujawa.
"We're trying to get more investments in the system before we have any pressures on our system - and won't be able to provide our customers with the load," said Christina Ficicchia, from NYSEG.
