RV Industry Association Government Affairs Team Lobbying For Increased e-RV Infrastructure

The RV Industry Association Government Affairs team has launched lobbying efforts to expand e-RV infrastructure. After receiving approval from the Association’s Board of Directors earlier this month – and supported by the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act – the Government Affairs team has been hard at work spreading the word about the need for an increased number of pull-through EV sites in campgrounds.

“As e-RVs start to become more common, charging them could present an issue,” predicts Jay Landers, RV Industry Association Vice President of Government Affairs. “Many of the current charging stations are not designed for combination vehicles, including electric towables. There are very few pull-through electric vehicle charging stations, and if an RV combination takes up two spots, it prevents others from charging their electric vehicles. Even with just an electric tow vehicle, the RV owner would have the added frustration of uncoupling the trailer, finding a place to put their RV trailer, charging the tow vehicle, and then reattaching the trailer. More pull-throughs, especially those designed for electric RV combinations, would help solve this barrier.”

With the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act now signed into law, $5 billion has been set aside for the states to improve their EV infrastructure, as a way of helping the U.S. move towards EVs and away from internal combustion. Another $2.5 billion remains with the federal government to spend on national infrastructure. The Government Affairs team is hoping these funds will help create more pull-through sites suitable for e-RVs.

Landers notes that any industry with large trailers or vehicles is going to have a need for more pull-through spaces, but the RV industry is leading the charge: “Our team is working with the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable and receiving their support on this initiative. We’re also working with a national lobbying firm to help spread the word. We’ve found some support from the Federal Highway Administration, which put out a statement in the Federal Register announcing that pull-through sites would be considered.”

Along with these efforts, the Government Affairs team is undertaking a state-by-state campaign to reach out to state departments of transportation, as well as governor’s offices and economic development offices. The team also plans to work with the member companies whenever possible on this initiative.

“The Government Affairs team is thankful for the support of the board in these efforts, and we look forward to providing some real results in mid-2023,” Landers says.