2025 Focus Areas
The ZEV transition is progressing quickly and has reached the mainstream market in many ZEV Alliance jurisdictions. At this stage, challenges related to affordability and universal access to charging infrastructure take on renewed importance. At the same time, it is increasingly important to maximize the climate and environmental benefits of ZEVs to address the urgency of the climate crisis.
Developing and promoting a positive narrative of the ZEV transition
As governments work to achieve ambitious ZEV targets, it is imperative to both dispel pervasive myths about electric vehicles and to also spread a positive narrative about their diverse benefits that appeal to all populations.
This focus area will:
Identify effective and positive messaging to promote ZEVs to a mainstream audience
Explore successful communications and outreach campaigns that have contributed to the larger ZEV narrative
Provide a framework for which types of messages, channels, and spokespeople are most effective
Accelerating utility planning and permitting for ZEV infrastructure
Charging infrastructure will need to continue expanding year-on-year to keep pace with the ZEV transition, requiring new regulations and practices for power utilities, which have not traditionally focused on the transport sector and are incentivized to be risk averse.
This focus area will:
Examine timelines involved in utility approval and connection of charging infrastructure in different markets
Explore how utilities’ policies toward transportation electrification are influenced by different regulatory regimes and policies
Discuss opportunities to improve utility performance regarding ZEV infrastructure and promotion of novel solutions
Ensuring the durability of ZEV policy
While powerful tools to encourage adoption, ZEV sales requirements and emission standards are often subject to scrutiny and can be modified or repealed when political interests change. When policy changes frequently and unpredictably, long-term investments are put at risk.
This focus area will:
Identify strategies to increase the durability of key policies in the ZEV transition
Explore the role of policy design parameters, consultation practices during drafting and review, and subsequent communications
Summarize lessons learned from policies that have been maintained across political changes, as well as those which were weakened or ended
Selection Process
The ZEV Alliance’s annual workplan revolves around focus areas, or themes, for collaborative discussion and research. Focus areas are selected through a comprehensive member survey each year to identify the most pressing challenges jurisdictions are facing as they pursue their own ZEV targets. The ZEV Alliance typically conducts three focus areas per year, which typically feature multiple member policy discussions, a research report (available to the public), and presentation of findings at virtual and/or in-person events.
2024 Focus Areas
Making charging more user-friendly
Investigates challenges and emerging solutions to issues of reliability, interoperability, pricing, and accessibility for EV charging and provides recommendations for improving the overall user experience.
Challenges and opportunities for ZEVs in rural communities
Studies the role of rural areas in the ZEV transition including barriers to adoption and how governments can ensure that these communities are not left behind in the ZEV transition.
Battery materials sourcing and sustainability
Considers how governments can ensure an abundant supply of sustainable batteries to power the ZEV transition and enhance energy security while also minimizing environmental impacts of mineral extraction.
Previous Focus Areas
To discover resources from previous years’ research, explore our publications.
2024
Battery materials sourcing and sustainability
Making charging more user-friendly
Challenges and opportunities for ZEVs in rural communities
2023
Charging in multi-unit dwellings
Business case for public charging
Incentives in the mainstream market
2022
Environmental justice impacts of ZEVs
Charging for electric trucks
Battery reuse and recycling
2021
Mature, equitable charging ecosystem
Supporting 100% ZEV targets
Used ZEV market
2020
Zero-emission freight
Supply chain dynamics
Electrifying fleets
2019
Funding the ZEV transition
Implementing smart charging
Expanding ZEV access
2018
Electrifying non-road transport
Fast charging lessons learned
Electrifying shared fleets
2017
Heavy-duty ZEV technology costs
Charging infrastructure best practices
Hydrogen fueling infrastructure
2016
Evolving consumer incentives
Utility best practices
Consumer awareness programs
2015
Global ZEV transition
ZEV climate mitigation potential