Florida lawmaker suggests limiting EVs during hurricane evacuations
In Florida, Tampa Bay Times reported that Republican senator Jonathan Martin stated that Florida state transportation officials should consider limiting the use of electric vehicles during evacuations until more charging stations are set up along major highways in Florida. According to the senator, electric vehicles could become roadblocks if they run out of power on highways crowded with residents in process of evacuation. “With a couple of guys behind you, you can’t get out of the car and push it to the side of the road. Traffic backs up. And what might look like a two-hour trip might turn into an eight-hour trip once you’re on the road,” Martin said during a discussion on charging stations at the Senate Select Committee on Resiliency. “My concern is there’s not an infrastructure currently available in the state of Florida for the amount of EVs that might be used to evacuate, on evacuation routes, during a time of emergency,” Martin added.
