Automakers join advisory group to speed electrification efforts

Ford Motor Co., General Motors, Kia and Volvo are among 17 companies that have joined a new strategic advisory group that will support the deployment of EVs and charging infrastructure in the U.S.

The Electrification Coalition Business Council was formed Wednesday in partnership with the nonpartisan group Electrification Coalition.

The two groups will work "to advance policies and programs that support the deployment of electric vehicles and charging infrastructure on a mass scale in order to overcome the economic, public health and national security challenges associated with the American transportation sector's dependence on oil," according to a news release.

"The United States' transition to an electrified transportation future isn't a question of if — it's when," Ben Prochazka, national director of the Electrification Coalition, said in a statement. The council "creates a strategic alliance that can supercharge support for the policies and actions needed to accelerate transportation electrification at a mass scale."

The newly formed group's members also include EV startup Rivian, ride-hailing giant Uber, Cox Automotive and others representing a broad cross section of the transportation sector.

GM's Robert Babik, executive director of global regulatory affairs, said the automaker looks forward to partnering with the council "to amplify the benefits of EVs for consumers and society alike, while identifying and advocating for consensus public policies — such as infrastructure support and consumer incentives — that will make an all-electric future possible."

The council's formation comes after the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, a group representing most major automakers in the U.S. as well as some suppliers and tech companies, further cemented its commitment to electrification and vowed to work with the incoming Biden administration on efforts to reduce vehicle emissions and encourage an EV future.

"The long-term future of the auto industry is electric," John Bozzella, the group's CEO, said in a statement last month after the group's semiannual board meeting. "We are investing hundreds of billions to develop the products that will drive this electric future, and we are committed to working collaboratively to realize the unprecedented change in infrastructure, consumer support and grid resiliency that will be required to make our common goal a reality."