Building Out Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure

Scaling Up Innovation to Drive Down Emissions

Find out more about the briefings in this series below:

Building Out Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure

How Start-Up Accelerators Can Drive Climate Action

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invites you to view a briefing on building out electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Electric vehicles are crucial for decarbonizing the U.S. transportation sector, which accounts for 29 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions—more than any other sector. While electric vehicles have gained traction in recent years, insufficient charging infrastructure is a significant barrier to widespread adoption. The $7.5 billion allocated to charging infrastructure in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and existing programs like the Rural Energy Savings Program present a significant opportunity to deploy widespread and equitable electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

How can charging infrastructure be rapidly expanded? What are the considerations for ensuring that charging infrastructure is accessible, equitable, and efficient? How can innovation improve charging infrastructure? Panelists discussed these questions and the policy solutions that can help scale up electric vehicle charging infrastructure to drive down emissions.

This briefing is part of a series called, Scaling Up Innovation to Drive Down Emissions, which ran through July and focused on the role of innovative technologies and emerging energy sources in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The series covered green hydrogen, direct air capture, electric vehicle charging infrastructure build-out, offshore wind energy and how start-up accelerators can drive climate action.

This series ran in parallel with another briefing series, Living with Climate Change, that covered polar vortices, sea level rise, wildfires, extreme heat, and integrating equity into emergency management.

Highlights

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The new joint office of the Department of Energy and Department of Transportation (DOT) provides technical assistance on electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure to state governments.
DOT released a rural EV toolkit, Charging Forward: A Toolkit for Planning and Funding Rural Electric Mobility Infrastructure, which includes information on EV supply equipment programs.
It is necessary to change the vehicle fueling paradigm. For internal combustion engines, fueling must happen at a gas station. For EVs, there is a lot more flexibility. Charging will mostly happen at people’s homes, and a lot of charging will also happen at work, stores, restaurants, and other commercial locations. Charging at stations along the road is really only needed for road trips because, on average, people drive less than 100 miles per day, and many of the EVs coming out today have a range of over 200 miles.
Over $500 billion is being invested into electric vehicles that rely on current EV charging infrastructure. This infrastructure has to be maintained. EV charging infrastructure maintenance does not require a brand-new workforce. Many skills are transferable, so it is important to provide cross-training and up-training for people with existing related skill sets.
The San Isabel Electric Association, a rural electric co-op in southern Colorado, received $5 million in zero-percent-interest funding through the Rural Energy Savings Program (RESP), which it uses to offer low-interest, on-bill financing to its members to cover the cost of EV charging installation and electric upgrades often needed when installing an at-home level-two charger.

Katherine Stainken, Vice President of Policy, Electrification Coalition

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) (P.L. 117-58) includes funding for several electric vehicle (EV) programs.
- The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program provides $5 billion for EV supply equipment buildout along highways.
- The bill provides $2.5 billion in competitive grants, including a 50 percent set aside for community grants with priority consideration for rural and underserved communities.
- IIJA also provides $2.5 billion in funding for electric school buses and another $2.5 billion for zero- and low-emission buses and associated charging infrastructure.
Federal agencies are coordinating to provide resources and technical support to states in order to promote electric vehicle adoption.
The new joint office of the Department of Energy and Department of Transportation (DOT) provides technical assistance on charging infrastructure to state governments.
DOT released a rural EV toolkit, Charging Forward: A Toolkit for Planning and Funding Rural Electric Mobility Infrastructure, which includes information on EV supply equipment programs.
The Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program provides funding and technical assistance to states to replace their school buses with electric and low-emission buses.
The Electrification Coalition’s toolkit, AchiEVe: Model Policies to Accelerate Electric Vehicle Adoption, outlines policy ideas for state and local governments as well as for utilities. The resource includes detailed information on rebate programs in different states.
States and cities have several different electric-vehicle charging infrastructure programs and some states have set goals and targets for EV and EV infrastructure deployment. Corridor programs to build out EV infrastructure along state highways include the Nevada Electric Highway, Regional Electric Vehicle West Plan, and Northeast Corridor Regional Strategy.
The Volkswagen settlement included funding for electric vehicle programs. Appendix C of the settlement agreement required Volkswagen to invest $2 billion over 10 years to support zero-emission vehicle technology. This led to the creation of the Electrify America charger network. Appendix D allowed states to allocate certain percentages of their received funding towards EV infrastructure.
City-level best practices are starting to emerge on EV-ready wiring, codes, and ordinances in preparation for new funding streams dedicated to EV infrastructure development.
Best practices are also being developed for right-of-way charging programs that allow for infrastructure to be built on open sidewalk spaces.
Multi-unit dwelling policies can also support electric vehicle infrastructure development.
Utilities nationwide have invested over $3 billion in EV charging stations between 2012 and June 2021, and there is another $2 billion pending, according to Atlas Public Policy’s Electric Utility Filing Bi-annual Update.

Joe Inglisa, Vice President of Business Development, SemaConnect

There are three EV charging levels: level one, level two, and DC fast charging.
EV adoption is rising due to declining battery costs, new designs, and increasing cost advantages. When the price of battery capacity is about $100 per kilowatt hour, that is when there is a breakeven with today’s combustion engine. This is basically happening now.
The more people own electric vehicles, the more people will talk about the driving performance of the vehicle, how cheap they are to maintain, and the relatively cheap price of electricity compared to gas.
Car makers released 143 new electric vehicles in 2019 and are expected to launch 450 new models by 2022, according to McKinsey's analysis of the global EV markets.
It is necessary to change the vehicle fueling paradigm. For internal combustion engines, fueling must happen at a gas station. For EVs, there is a lot more flexibility. Charging will mostly happen at people’s homes, and a lot of charging will also happen at work, stores, restaurants, and other commercial locations. Charging at stations along the road is really only needed for road trips because, on average, people drive less than 100 miles per day, and many of the EVs coming out today have a range of over 200 miles.
On average, cars are not in use 90 percent of the time, so there is ample opportunity for them to be charging.
Level-two charging fills a high percentage of people’s charging needs. Level-two chargers have lower upfront costs and require little routine maintenance or upgrades.
Level-two chargers are well suited for fleet vehicles, like school buses, that can charge overnight.
One policy opportunity for EV charging is to integrate EV charging in building codes for new construction. This can mean requiring a certain number of chargers be installed when the building is constructed and ensuring the capacity to install additional chargers over time.
Another policy lever to support EV deployment is offering federal and state EV tax credits and rebates and EV supply equipment grants.
Equitable access to EV infrastructure and reasonable charging rates is vital for transportation electrification, especially in rural and underserved areas.

Evette Ellis, Co-Founder and Chief Workforce Officer, ChargerHelp!

ChargerHelp! is working to set the standard for servicing EV charging infrastructure using technology-powered solutions.
Over $500 billion is being invested into electric vehicles that rely on current EV charging infrastructure. This infrastructure has to be maintained.
ChargerHelp! focuses on maintaining chargers to increase reliability and on workforce training.
Its workforce training includes field service deployment, parts and logistics management, reliability management, and EV supply equipment diagnostics.
EV charging infrastructure does not require a brand-new workforce. Many skills are transferable, so it is important to provide cross-training and up-training for people with existing related skill sets.
ChargerHelp! worked with the Department of Labor to establish an O*NET occupational code for EV supply equipment technicians, which establishes official recognition of the workforce.

A high percentage of charger technicians come from the oil and gas industry because they have gone through many of the same safety trainings required to be an EV infrastructure technician. Technicians also come from clothing factories where they had worked on machinery there and from telecommunications where they were installing internet for fiber optic cables. They also have many technicians who are veterans.
They work with community colleges that have electrical or automotive programs.
A focus on equitable jobs is critical. They offer $30/hour as the minimum wage, which makes this a very competitive job.
Not all workers in this industry will be technicians. Any position you need in other industries (e.g., logistics, operations, management), will also be needed in the charger maintenance industry.

Laura Getts, Business Development Manager, San Isabel Electric Association (SIEA)

San Isabel Electric Association (SIEA) in southern Colorado is a non-profit electric cooperative serving 21,000 members, 65 percent of whom live in rural areas.
There are currently 11 charging stations in SIEA’s service territory, and the co-op owns 60 percent of them—both level two and DC fast chargers.
Future charger infrastructure buildout will likely be associated with state parks and scenic highways working in partnership with local governments and transit agencies.
Rural areas have seen low EV adoption rates. Across SIEA’s territory, which includes rural and more urban areas, there is an average EV adoption rate of one percent.
The co-op also considers how to serve customers passing through its service territory on the interstate corridors and state highways.
SIEA provides incentives for EV adoption through a residential charging program because about 90 percent of charging is likely to take place at people’s homes.
- A free level-two charger is provided with proof of EV ownership and an agreement that the member will allow the co-op to manage charging during peak energy use times.
- The co-op received $5 million in zero-percent-interest funding through the Rural Energy Savings Program (RESP), which it uses to offer low-interest, on-bill financing to its members to cover the cost of EV charging installation and electric upgrades often needed when installing a level-two charger.
- SIEA uses its Empower platform to provide members the resources to assess, install, and finance clean energy projects such as solar and EV charging.
Transportation electrification brings rural electric co-ops load growth, load management, economic development, and increased member engagement opportunities.
Important considerations for rural electric co-ops include affordability based on where charging connects to the grid, grid capacity, peak contribution, payback, charging deserts, coordination, equity, maintenance, and software subscriptions.

Q&A

Q: At the federal level, what are some of the considerations that policymakers should have in mind to ensure that charging infrastructure is convenient and reliable for consumers across rural, suburban, and urban areas?

Stainken:

Federal planning efforts should first recognize that driving patterns are different between rural communities and urban ones due to charging accessibility, population density, and housing.
The $2.5 billion in federal grant funding from IIJA for EV charging infrastructure has a set aside for rural and underserved communities.
The Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure for Farmers Act (H.R.6390) would provide assistance for EV infrastructure to be built on American farms, promoting the electrification of tractors and other farming equipment.

Inglisa:

Rural communities face challenges due to the limited range of electric vehicles.
Over time, the issue of range anxiety will resolve itself through technological improvements and research and development in battery technology.

Ellis:

The deployment of charging stations should create jobs in rural communities.
Job creation and training in these communities will drive the acceptance and adoption of EV technologies.

Getts:

In SIEA’s rural community, there is excitement around electric trucks.
There is also a major opportunity for rural businesses to benefit from the ownership of charging stations. To any extent that funding can flow to these communities and allow local owners to own and run these stations, it will be a big win.

Q: How can charging infrastructure take advantage of renewable energy when it is most available and inexpensive?

Stainken:

Utilities must be at the table when discussing infrastructure because they know the load profiles and peak demands.

Getts:

Managed charging is very important. Right now, the push is to get people to charge overnight since it is cheaper and during off-peak hours. However, if increased solar adoption leads to excess energy generation during mid-day hours, then utilities would encourage people to shift their charging hours.

Q: What model was used to build out the national network of gas stations, and how applicable is that model to building out EV infrastructure?

Ellis:

Gas stations are generally well lit, maintained for cleanliness, and have restrooms. This is not often the case for EV charging stations.
When you think about mass EV adoption, what does it look like for a mom with kids pulling up to charge—is it safe and clean?

Q: What are opportunities for the private and public sectors to work together to build out EV charging infrastructure beyond what is already happening?

Inglisa:

On the policy side, consistency and accessibility in grant funding and policy implementation will increase activity in EV infrastructure buildout.
Maryland had a successful rebate program that only required an image of the installation, a two-page rebate form, and the accompanying invoices in order to access the funding.

Stainken:

With National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program funding, there are significant opportunities for EV innovation and partnerships between states and the private sector.

Ellis:

Since public, nonprofit, and private organizations have different lenses when it comes to EVs, partnerships would provide valuable information to all parties.

Q: Are there any issues with how different electric vehicle models are charged that need to be addressed as EV charging networks are built out?

Inglisa:

For level-one and level-two chargers, the Society of Automotive Engineers agreed to one standard, the J1772.
Tesla uses a different plug, but they provide customers with adapters to charge with J-1772.
Having everyone agree to one standard for DC fast charging is feasible, and it would ease the manufacturing process, stocking, and overall build.

Ellis:

The industry is moving towards standardization. That is ideal and that is the goal. However, right now, there are different charging stations that require different training.
ChargerHelp! technicians have 15 to 20 certifications to work on all the different charger and software types used right now.

Getts:

SIEA’s latest chargers have two combined charging system (CCS) plugs (rather than one CCS plug and one CHAdeMO plug)—CCS is the direction in which fast charging is headed.
In terms of different brands of stations, SIEA has been trying out a few different brands and software. The co-op considers the cost benefits that come with sticking to one brand, but at the same time, it does not necessarily want to be beholden to that company and its subscription costs.

Q: What should 10 years from now look like in terms of EV charger buildout?

Stainken:

In 2032, you can get from point A to point B without worrying about charger availability.
The United States would have further buildout in high usage locations like cities, which Tesla has done well.

Inglisa:

Many convenience stores are interested in installing chargers.
The majority of charging will happen at home.
I am also optimistic that the term range anxiety is going to go away.

Ellis:

Requirements and standards on charging assets are important.
The industry should also push towards having a more equitable workforce through EV infrastructure jobs.

Getts: