A growing number of municipalities in Philadelphia’s collar counties are transitioning their gas-powered vehicles and investing in the infrastructure required to support electric vehicles, writes Kenny Cooper for the WHYY.

Delaware County has received grants from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to help pay for 84 electric vehicles and 28 chargers.

“The annual greenhouse gas emission reduction that Delaware County’s 84 EVs will contribute is about 406,000 pounds or 184 metric tons,” said a DEP spokesperson.

Montgomery County currently has three hybrid sheriff vehicles and a number of municipalities with charging stations, including Lansdale, Upper Merion Township, Narberth Borough, Royersford Borough, and Whitemarsh Township.

In Chester County, Phoenixville Borough, which is one of the first municipalities in the state to commit to transition to 100 percent renewable energy by 2035, has so far installed 16 electric vehicle charging stations.

The town also made changes to its zoning and land development ordinances that now require developers to meet EV “make-ready” standards for new parking structures.

Bucks County is also slowly transitioning from internal combustion engines to electric. The county purchased its first two electric vehicles last year and is also piloting charging stations at different county properties.

Read more about the electric vehicle revolution in the WHYY.