RV Industry Association President Craig Kirby recently sent a letter to the Federal Highway Administration, expressing its adamant support for the White House’s goal of increasing access to the outdoors for all Americans, particularly through the establishment of grant and incentive programs for state and local governments, as well as the private sector, to build a national network of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations.
“The goal of ensuring greater access to outdoor spaces, along with environmental concerns and adapting to future technologies, has led to the need for a robust EV charging infrastructure, especially in rural areas, national/state parks and forests, gateway communities and private campgrounds. The development and funding for robust EV charging infrastructure aligns with the RV Industry Association’s efforts to unify the industry by working closely with the public and private campground industry to improve the consumer’s camping and RVing experiences,” RVIA said. “As the RV industry continues to surge in popularity, and the number of campground visitors continues to increase, having robust EV infrastructure remains a critical part of improving outdoor access and modernizing outdoor facilities.”
The association’s comments focused on five specific issues:
- Development of and improvement to EV charging and fueling stations
- Consumer demand and innovation are spurring electrified RV products
- The $5 billion state allocation can help address electrical grid issues and invest in park, forest and rural EV infrastructure.
- Eligible entities for EV charging and refueling infrastructure grant programs and community grants must include publicly accessible parking facility projects owned or managed by a private entity, such as campgrounds
- The RVIA’s support for prioritizing community grant projects in rural areas and low- and moderate-income neighborhoods and communities
The full letter can be found here.