Montana State University Extension will present a free, three-part webinar series, “Electric Vehicle Adoption in Montana: Understanding Opportunities and Issues.” The series is intended to provide individuals, community leaders and planners with a better understanding of the impact of the use of electric vehicles in rural communities. The webinars will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. on the following Fridays: Jan. 28, March 4 and May 6.

The Jan. 28 webinar will address private and public perceptions of electric vehicle use. It will feature Nick Shrauger, electric vehicle owner and retired MSU associate professor of electrical engineering; Larry Flynn, administrator from the Montana Department of Transportation; and Kyla Maki, energy resource professional from the Montana Department of Environmental Quality.

The March 4 webinar will address how electric vehicle adoption in rural areas will impact transportation funding. The session will feature rural electric vehicle issues expert Maureen Bock from the Oregon Department of Transportation. In addition, other rural issue perspectives will be presented by David Kack, executive director of MSU’s Western Transportation Institute, and Toni Henneman, analyst from the Montana Legislative Interim Transportation Committee.

The May 6 webinar will address how electric vehicle use in rural areas will impact the supply of electricity. Insight on supply concerns will be presented by Dan Rausch with Northwestern Energy; a representative of the Montana Electric Cooperative Association; and Neal Ullman, energy resource professional with the Montana Department of Environmental Quality.

To attend and see a detailed schedule, visit montana.edu/extensionecon/electricvehicles.