Connecticut ranks 12th among the U.S. states in terms of its commitment to encouraging the use of electric vehicles, according to a study released Wednesday by a nonprofit research group dedicated to combating climate change.

The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy awarded Connecticut 42.5 points out of 100, a slight improvement over the state’s score of 38.5 in the council’s previous study published in 2021, which ranked Connecticut 13th.

“The state performs well on providing incentives for EVs and EV charging infrastructure and has strong policies to electrify its transit and school buses,” Peter Huether, a senior research associate for ACEEE and the report’s lead author, said in a news release. “Connecticut is one of the few states with a used EV purchase incentive, has one of the highest levels of utility EV infrastructure investment per customer, and has one of the strongest transit bus electrification policies.”

Huether called on Connecticut to adopt California regulations that require all auto sales to be EVs starting in 2035, and that encourage sales of electric heavy-duty trucks. He said Connecticut should engage with its utilities more to optimize the electricity grid for EVs.

In the ACEEE’s 2023 Transportation Electrification Scorecard, California ranks first with 88 points. The report says the state has committed to full electrification of light-duty vehicle sales and is planning significant updates to its electricity grid to prepare for a sharp increase in EVs. It also sets aside significant funding for EV purchases in low-income communities and communities of color.

New York ranks second, followed by Colorado, Massachusetts, Vermont, Washington state, New Jersey, the District of Columbia, Oregon and Maryland. Only 33 states were ranked, with the remaining 17 awarded “very few” points, the report says.

The ACEEE scored the states on five policy areas:

• Electric vehicle and EV charging infrastructure planning and goal-setting (15 points)

• Financial and nonfinancial incentives to spur EV purchases and the installation of charging infrastructure (36)

• Support for the deployment of EVs while maximizing emissions reduction and improving accessible, cost-effective, equitable, and clean mobility options for all (17)

• Actions taken by public utility commissions to support utility management of EV charging to maximize reliability and minimize costs and greenhouse gas emissions (9)

• Metrics that track progress or evaluate results of EV adoption, infrastructure installation, and GHG emissions (23)

While the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection did not immediately comment on the report, it did announce Wednesday the introduction of an electric bike voucher program offering increased incentives for low- and moderate-income individuals and those who live in distressed communities.

The Connecticut Hydrogen and Electric Automobile Purchase Rebate incentive program, known as CHEAPR, which already provides incentives for EVs costing up to $50,000, will now include incentives for qualifying eBikes costing up to $3,000.

“As one of the first state-wide eBike incentive programs in the country, we will be providing additional electrified transportation options for those who may not be able to afford a car, let alone an electric vehicle,” DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes said in a statement. “This program will increase micro-mobility options, especially for low- and moderate- income households, while also helping to lower carbon emissions in our state, especially in communities disproportionately impacted by air pollution.”

b.hallenbeck@theday.com