WASHINGTON — Leaders in eight states, including Maryland, are hoping to rev up car buyers’ enthusiasm for electric cars.
The states, from the East and West coasts, have joined together to promote what they call Zero Emission Vehicles: fully electric cars, plug-in hybrids and hydrogen-fuel cell-vehicles.
The states in the agreement make up a quarter of the new car market, and they hope to put more than 3 million cars with alternative power sources on the road by 2025. Right now there are fewer than 200,000 of the vehicles in the country.
The states hope to encourage use of electric vehicles by standardizing charging stations and making it easier for companies to install them. They also hope to encourage charging stations at workplaces.
Supporters of the vehicles say they reduce greenhouse gas emissions and cost less than gasoline or diesel on a per-mile basis.
Other states included in the deal are California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and Vermont.
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