Cherokee Nation Says State Needs To Invest In Electric Vehicles

An Oklahoma tribe is leading the charge to upgrade more of the state's vehicles to electric.

The Indian Nations Council of Governments is telling the state that by 2025 one in four vehicles will be powered by something other than a traditional engine, and the state needs to invest now in more electric cars and trucks.

The Journal Record, an Oklahoma City-based newspaper, claims the Cherokee nation is really the one taking this big step toward the future.

Three buses are being built right now for the Cherokee Nation.

The Cherokee Nation will use those buses to take kids to school, and bus people to different businesses across Eastern Oklahoma between Tahlequah, Stillwell, Catoosa, and West Siloam Springs. 

Adriane Jaynes is the Alternative Fuels Planner for the Indian Nations Council of Governments and a founding member member of the Oklahoma Electric Vehicle Coalition.

During an interim study at the state capitol, Jaynes showed lawmakers the state is adding more electric charging stations every month.

Even though electric vehicle sales in Oklahoma make up less than one percent of nationwide sales, the state led year over year sales between 2016 and 2018.

The Cherokee Nation received some federal grant money to help buy the electric buses--plus two solar powered charging stations-- and two smaller electric vehicles.