In July 2019, the state had 2,926 registered battery and plug-in hybrid electric cars. Ben McCanna/Staff PhotographerĮlectric vehicle sales in Maine have soared in recent years as well. A $100 million investment by Wex might spur the development of companies that provide EV charging stations. “You don’t know what tomorrow’s going to look like, and probably the key technology that everyone’s got to have is from a private company that’s incubating today.”Īn electric vehicle charges at a station next to Portland City Hall in February. “It’s an industry that has not changed very much in the last 100 years and is now changing very rapidly,” he said. Investment in such companies will help accelerate the shift to electric vehicles, Powers added, although the EV movement already has plenty of momentum. This segment of the industry is still so new that many avenues are unexplored. Most automotive companies are clustered in places like Detroit or Germany, so it would be more challenging to launch in Maine, which doesn’t have related legacy companies or manufacturers, he said.īut there’s a great deal of opportunity for innovation – and therefore, investment – within the electric vehicle space, particularly around artificial intelligence and charging infrastructure, said Powers, who previously worked for Tesla. Joe Powers, managing director of the Maine Venture Fund, said he doesn’t know of any EV-related startups in the state. Whether any of the money could make its way to Maine startups remains to be seen, though it’s not likely. It seemed only natural for Wex to follow. That involvement grew in 2019, when Wex partnered with ChargePoint, an international operator of EV charging stations, to expand access to chargers in the United States.Īs the popularity of electric vehicles has increased, many of Wex’s 600,000 fleet customers have begun making the transition, and Smith expects that to continue. It’s been involved with electric vehicles and their users for as long as commercial EVs have been on the market, Melissa Smith, president and CEO, said in an interview. The company provides payment processing and information management services for commercial and government vehicle fleets. The initiative might seem odd for a company that got its start with gas cards, but Portland-based Wex says it’s a fitting next step. Lachey’s response to this question will be fascinating.A new division, Wex Venture Capital, will distribute funds over the next two years to early-stage businesses focused on fleet electrification, EV charging infrastructure, energy management, and similar technologies. Mix those two in with Logan Jones, Mason Richman and others improving and now Iowa should be back to Hawkeye offensive line play of old. Offensive tackle Daijon Parker comes over from Saginaw Valley State as does Miami (Ohio) guard Rusty Feth. The offensive line should be improved, too. Charleston Southern transfer Seth Anderson and Ohio State transfer Kaleb Brown should both be impact guys for the Hawkeyes. There’s also several wide receiver transfers to be excited about. Maybe Lachey can shed a little light on why he and the rest of the Hawkeyes feel good about the progress this team is making with Cade McNamara taking over under center. Unfortunately, until Iowa answers the call this season, it remains the Hawkeyes’ most important question. As Iowa’s lone offensive attendee, Lachey is going to get asked about this incessantly. Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK

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