North Carolina reaches its goal of 80,000 registered electric vehicles two years early

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- There are a growing number of North Carolinians going green and registering electric vehicles.

In 2018, Governor Cooper signed Executive Order 80 which called on state agencies to evaluate their operations and set specific goals to decrease emissions across the economy. This includes increasing the number of total zero-emissions vehicle registers in North Carolina.

The goal was to have 80,000 electric vehicles registered by 2025.

According to a press release from the Office of Governor Roy Cooper, it said the state already hit that number back in November -- two years early.

Gov. Cooper said this highlights the need for even more EV chargers across North Carolina.

"We knew the private markets were shifting to electric vehicles so we set bold goals that would help North Carolina communities be ready. Now it's happening even faster than we anticipated," Cooper said. "The key is making EVs more affordable with the assurance that charging stations are available most places, and that's why we are modernizing state policies and working to build out charging infrastructure in every community all across North Carolina."

In the coming weeks, the North Carolina Department of Transportation will release a request for proposals for the first round of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program designed to construct DC Fast Chargers along major highway corridors across the state.

Durham and Kings Mountain both received grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation to install new chargers, with a particular focus on underserved areas.

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