ChargeWest™ Project Launches to Revolutionize Transportation in the Intermountain West

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ChargeWest™ Project Launches to Revolutionize Transportation in the Intermountain West

Salt Lake City, Utah – October 2024 – Utah Clean Cities announces the official launch of ChargeWest™, the West Electric Highway project. This pioneering initiative will transform transportation across eight states in the Intermountain West by establishing a network of sustainable electric corridors. The project aims to significantly reduce carbon emissions along heavily traveled routes while enhancing access to scenic byways and national parks.

Tammie Bostick, Executive Director of Utah Clean Cities and Principal Investigator, says, “The launch of ChargeWest™ will revolutionize electric transportation in the West. By installing electric charging stations on remote roadways across eight states, we are advancing clean transportation, ensuring accessibility for all vehicles, and significantly reducing carbon emissions. ChargeWest™ targets these scenic routes because travelers seek them out for unique experiences, often making them a destination. Thanks to ChargeWest™, even the road less traveled will be ready for electric vehicles.”

The ChargeWest™ project has been awarded a substantial $1.5 million contract from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO). This funding will be instrumental in advancing the goals set forth in the U.S. National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization and the Biden-Harris Administration’s vision for a fully decarbonized transportation system.

Utah Governor Spencer Cox says,“ChargeWest™ and Utah Clean Cities have made remarkable strides in electric vehicle infrastructure. Our Western Governors MOU, signed in 2017, united the eight states in the Intermountain West to create the nation’s largest EV corridor network. Thanks to Utah Clean Cities leadership and securing funding twice for this effort, we’ve become a top state for EV adoption and are connecting travelers to our most scenic routes.”

The objective of ChargeWest™ is to develop the ChargeWest™ Western Electric Highway Corridor Strategy and create a blueprint for regional collaboration. This framework is designed to connect all roads with modern, resilient, and renewable fuels such as electricity and clean hydrogen. It will drive advanced transportation, infrastructure solutions for rural communities and strategize deployments throughout the region, while also guiding the expansion of electric vehicle infrastructure, promoting advanced clean fuel adoption, and preparing high-traffic freight routes for clean hydrogen and electric charging.

Margaret Smith, Technology Manager at the DOE Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO), emphasized, “For over 30 years, DOE has collaborated with Clean Cities and Communities coalitions at the state and local level to advance clean transportation solutions. We are proud to fund the ChargeWest™ project, led by Utah Clean Cities. ChargeWest™ exemplifies how federal funding can be effectively utilized at the state level, with local leadership spearheading innovative and scalable solutions. By encompassing the Intermountain region, ChargeWest™ establishes a replicable model that can guide transportation decarbonization efforts nationwide.”

Through this collaborative effort, the participating states are setting a new standard for a cleaner, more sustainable transportation future. The ChargeWest™ project is expected to help rural communities drive innovation, create economic opportunities, and build a trained workforce while contributing to a healthier environment. It will also bolster state and local resilience in the face of climate change by using innovation to prepare for a future with zero-emission fuels and resilient infrastructure.

For additional information about the ChargeWest™ project and its impact on the Intermountain West region, please contact:

Tammie Bostick
Tammie.bostick@utahcleancities.org

About Utah Clean Cities:
Utah Clean Cities is a U.S. Department of Energy designated coalition in the Clean Cities and Communities partnership, dedicated to advancing the nation’s environmental and energy goals by fostering partnerships with public and private stakeholders. Through collaborative efforts, Clean Cities partners work to deploy clean transportation solutions equitably and sustainably.

Learn more at https://chargewestev.org/