Plug-­in electric vehicles, or PEVs, have recently become available across the nation on an unprecedented scale. A successful mass deployment of these vehicles could create many public benefits, facilitating a transition away from an oil-­‐dominated transportation system while reducing air pollutants and carbon emissions. However, widespread consumer acceptance of PEVs will depend on collective action from a diverse array of stakeholders, including electric utilities, manufacturers, nonprofits, and governments at all levels. Coordinated regional and local efforts are needed to accelerate and accommodate PEV deployment.

In 2011, the Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI) launched the Northeast Electric Vehicle Network, comprised of 10 contiguous Northeast and Mid-­Atlantic states plus the District of Columbia. Through the Network, TCI aims to explore ways in which PEV deployment may be accelerated across the region. As a first step, the Network commissioned the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions to write a review of EV market barriers, as well as plans and projections for PEV and EVSE deployment in the Northeast.