Atlanta-based Coca-Cola Co. and General Electric, which also has a major presence in metro Atlanta, are among a growing list of companies joining a federal effort to get more charging stations for electric vehicles at workplaces.
GE was among the first group of joining the Department of Energy’s Workplace Charging Challenge. The other original companies were Google, 3M, Siemens, Verizon, Duke Energy, Eli Lilly, Chrysler Group, Ford, GM, Nissan, San Diego Gas & Electric and Tesla.
In addition to Coca-Cola, the latest group to sign up includes Dell, Facebook, Hertz, AVL, Bentley Systems, Biogen Idec, Bloomberg, Hartford Financial Services Group, National Grid, NRG Energy, Osram Sylvania, Raytheon and Southern California Edison.
According to electricdrive.org, electric vehicle sales accounted for 3 percent of total vehicle sales last year, up from 2 percent in 2011.
The goal is to make workplace charging easily accessible so more people will consider buying electric vehicles, which cost less to power than gasoline vehicles. The Energy Department estimates driving on electricity is generally comparable to roughly $1 per gallon of gasoline equivalent.
The companies have committed to installing a charging infrastructure at a minimum of one major worksite location.
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