Roland Berger and Rocky Mountain Institute announce readiest cities for electric vehicles in America

• Report evaluating readiness of 50 largest cities in America available at www.rolandberger.com and www.rmi.org  

• Cities are clustered into "waves" of electric vehicle adoption, depending on current status and future momentum
• "First wave" cities are expected to include: Austin, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, New York, Orlando, Phoenix, Portland, Raleigh, Riverside, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle, and Tampa
• Takeaways include best practices and recommendations for cities to quickly "get ready" and prepare for electric vehicles
• Key enablers for e-mobility include a streamlined permitting process, education and awareness programs, and advanced planning

Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, a leading global consultancy, and Rocky Mountain Institute, a Colorado-based “think and do" tank dedicated to the profitable transition from fossil fuels to efficiency and renewables, have released a new report evaluating the readiness of major cities across America for Plug-in Electric Vehicles (PEVs). The 50-city study, Electric Vehicles in America: The question is no longer "whether" they will come, but "how fast" and "where first", is the most extensive evaluation of city preparations for electric vehicles, based on several months of collaborative research, interviews, and analysis by Rocky Mountain Institute and Roland Berger.

The timely study sheds light on where the impending waves of electric vehicles will hit and how follower cities can quickly "get ready" and catch up. Its findings are intended to guide national and private stakeholders during the rollout of electric vehicles while inspiring cities to take additional steps to prepare. The report contains key findings and highlights, while city-specific assessments from the study are available upon request.

Two of the study's authors, Antonio Benecchi, Partner at Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, and Matt Mattila, Manager of RMI’s Project Get Ready, an initiative to prepare cities throughout North America for electric vehicles, commented on the PEV Readiness Study at "The Business of Plugging InSM".

"Some pioneer cities have been planning for years and are aware of the key issues, but within a few years, PEVs will be available nationwide, so it is critical for all cities to start preparing," said Benecchi. "Each city is in a different place, so to determine the current readiness of a city for PEVs, we considered local regulations, available infrastructure, consumer readiness, and the operating environment."

The study determines the cities with the highest current readiness for PEVs to be:

• San Jose
• Los Angeles
• San Francisco
• Sacramento
• Portland

Other cities the report identifies as "leaders" include: Austin, Denver, New York, Orlando, Phoenix, Raleigh, Riverside, San Diego, and Seattle.

The study determines momentum toward e-mobility based on a city's attitude, planning, infrastructure funding, and education programs. Given its assessment of current status and future outlook, the report identifies expected "first wave" cities to be: Austin, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, New York, Orlando, Phoenix, Portland, Raleigh, Riverside, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle, and Tampa.

“We want to emphasize that, while some areas are leading and others are following, in the end, all cities will ‘win’ with the EV transition," said Mattila. "When we re-evaluate cities in a year or two, many of today's followers will have become leaders, building off of years of preparation and lessons learned from other cities. In the meantime, all cities would benefit from proper planning."

"Our study not only assesses city readiness, but it also highlights different ways stakeholders can enhance preparations," added Benecchi. "For example, cities should engage a variety of parties, from automakers, utilities, and regulators, to local fleet operators, commercial real estate owners, and electrician unions. Without the contribution and participation of all, PEVs will fall short in achieving their full potential."

"The path forward will be much clearer this time next year. Until then, PEV advocates should focus on known enablers," recommended Mattila. "For example, over the course of Project Get Ready, we have found that cities can improve the permitting process for home chargers. Also, collaboration and outreach from utilities, automakers, and cities helps ensure drivers know the benefits and challenges of PEVs, especially those unique to their region. This report helps clarify the differences drivers will face depending on where they live."

The report is now accessible at www.rolandberger.com and www.rmi.org/rmi  

For further information, please contact:

Antonio Benecchi
Partner
Roland Berger Strategy Consultants LLC
Tel. +1 248 729 5000