Maryland, D.C. Rev Up Network To Promote Electric Cars

Northeast states form electric car network.

Power up! Maryland and the District of Columbia are joining nine other states to promote electric car usage.

The governments have joined together to form the Northeast Electric Vehicle Network.

The group announced Wednesday it will work to plan and install charging stations throughout the region, as well as attracting investment in clean vehicle infrastructure. Some of those power stations could be set up at train stations, so commuters can power up while they are away at work.

The network is getting financial backing from a grant nearing $1 million from U.S. Department of Energy to New York's Energy Research and Development Authority.

In the District, officials say they have 24 charge stations on both public and private property.  The District Department of the Environment says there are already nearly 100 electric vehicles registered in D.C.

The 10 states that make up the Northeast Electric Vehicle Network include Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont.

President Obama called for 1 million plug-in vehicles to be on the road nationwide by 2015, and the network hopes to account for 200,000 of those vehicles.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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