State Sen. Todd Kaminsky, D-Rockville Centre, wants to increase the number of companies that make electric vehicles but have no franchised dealers in New York state.

S.1763 would remove the limit on the number of certificate of registrations the state motor vehicles commissioner can issue and renew to manufacturers that manufacture or assemble exclusively zero emission vehicles and adds the requirement that an eligible manufacturer must not have a franchised motor vehicle dealer of the same line-make in the state.

Kaminsky said the state currently allows only five electric vehicle direct sales locations throughout the state, and all five are located downstate. The state isn’t allowed to add stores from any more electric vehicle companies, he said.

The state has set a goal of having 850,000 electric vehicles on the road by 2025 and two million electric vehicles by 2030. The state isn’t close to meeting its 2025 goal.

“As of September 2020, New York had only achieved 30 of the 2025 goal,” Kaminsky wrote in his legislative justification. “New York cannot meet these goals and targets without increased adoption of electric vehicles. California is also outpacing New York in yearly EV sales by almost ten-times. Allowing more direct sales locations from multiple EV manufacturers will increase near-term economic investment and employment opportunities in retail and service locations, make it easier for New Yorkers to purchase electric vehicles, and help meet our CLCPA goals.”

According to the New York Energy Research and Development Authority, there are 61,115 electric vehicles on the road through Jan. 12. There are 236 on the road in Chautauqua County and 68 on the road in Cattaraugus County. Erie County has 2,532 electric vehicles registered. The Toyota Prius Prime is the preferred electric vehicle in Chautauqua County, followed by other miscellaneous EVs. The Chevrolet Volt and Chevrolet Bolt EV follow at 22 and 19 registered vehicles, respectively.

The number of original electric vehicle registrations in Chautauqua Couty roads is at the highest level ever with 83 in 2020. The previous high was 56 in 2018.