Despite gas prices down about 30 percent from a year ago, Bonnie Field of Leesburg told Sumter County commissioners this week that electric vehicles likely are in their future.
Field, of The Villages/Tri-County League of Women Voters, said one of the group’s priorities is to promote the use of electric cars and that putting more electric cars on the road is important to slow climate change.
This spring, the Florida Legislature approved a bill calling on the Florida Department of Transportation to develop an infrastructure of charging stations along the state highway system.
Field said the lack of charging stations has been a barrier to market expansion for electric vehicles.
Although many Villagers drive electric golf carts, County Administrator Bradley Arnold said electric cars haven’t caught on in the area.
“There has been a lack of consumer demand,” he said, adding that Sumter County has four charging stations and ranks 40th among the state’s counties in the number of electric cars.
Field’s husband, Robert, said the county can promote electric vehicles by buying them, simplifying the permit process for charging stations and developing a sustainability plan.
He said SECO, the electric company, is very interested in increasing the number of electric vehicles and charging stations.
Arnold said Sumter County has some hybrid vehicles, powered by both batteries and fuel, but has no purely electric vehicles.
Robert Field said hybrid vehicles are less efficient than all-electric vehicles because they often rely more on fuel than electricity.
Chairman Steve Printz said consumer demand ultimately will determine how quickly the county moves to electric vehicles.
“When the demand increases, most people will react accordingly,” he said.