Minnesota electric vehicles

As electric vehicle (EV) [1] sales grow, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (Commission) expects to support transportation electrification through affordable, economic electric utility service for plug-in EVs. 

The Commission made a series of findings in its Investigation into Electric Vehicle Charging and Infrastructure (Docket No. E999/CI-17-879) and found electrification of Minnesota’s transportation sector is in the public interest. Specifically, the Commission found that transportation electrification can:

• Promote affordable, economic electric utility service by improving utility system utilization/efficiency and placing downward pressure on utility rates through increased utility revenues and better grid utilization.

• Grow renewable energy use by increasing electricity demand during hours when renewable energy is most prevalent on the system and developing tariffs that correlate renewable energy resources to EV charging.

• Reduce statewide greenhouse gas and other harmful emissions.

The Commission has approved several pilots and other programs to advance efficient transportation electrification. These programs include utility owned direct current fast chargers, off-peak charging rate programs, residential charger financing, multi-family dwelling unit pilots to bring charging access to those who do not own their own residence, commercial and business charging rates for large fleets with unique charging needs. 

As of January 2024, 53,356 electric vehicles were registered in the state of Minnesota.

The PUC provides a breakdown of electric vehicle registrations by electric utility service territory, along with more granular data by city, zip code, and vehicle make/model. These data are obtained from the Minnesota Department of Vehicle Services.