Public Electric Vehicle Charging
Infrastructure Playbook

Introduction

This guidebook provides interactive resources to help communities plan and build the infrastructure needed to support a zero-emission transportation system. Communities, planning organizations, local and state governments, tribal nations, and other decision makers can use the "Public Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Infrastructure Playbook" to navigate key considerations for planning and deploying EV infrastructure. The modules include guiding questions, videos, worksheets, and additional resources to drive local progress. Modules can be followed in the order presented or used as stand-alone resources to help with specific priorities.

Learn how the playbook can work for you by watching this demonstration video.

Module 1 – Developing EV Infrastructure Plans

This module provides resources on how to begin and work through the planning process for EV infrastructure. These resources will help you conduct a baseline assessment to determine future infrastructure needs and create a planning process and timeline. Input from people representing multiple, diverse perspectives should be incorporated throughout your planning process.

Activities

Module 2 – Engagement

This module provides resources on how to effectively engage community members and stakeholders around EV infrastructure plans in your community. Input from community members and stakeholders should inform where and how EV chargers are installed. Appropriately identifying, approaching, and building relationships and creating dialogue with these partners will strengthen your plans.

Activities

Module 3 – Deployment Strategies and Site Identification

This module provides resources to guide the determination of how and where to deploy EV charging infrastructure. These resources can be used to develop strategies for EV infrastructure build-out on both public and private property. A preliminary site assessment spreadsheet will help outline the process for identifying gaps and potential sites for new chargers.

Activities

  • Download the guiding questions for deployment strategies and site identification to explore key considerations for identifying where and how to deploy EV charging infrastructure, and ask yourself questions such as:
    • What are your top priorities for public EV charger deployment (e.g., equity, economics, access for people living in multifamily housing, electrification of multimodal options)?
    • How can you involve community members to prioritize areas or sites for EV charging station deployment?
    • How will you reach out to private site owners, such as multifamily housing or workplaces, to encourage them to install EV chargers for their residents, employees, and/or visitors?
  • Download a site assessment worksheet to identify and prioritize potential sites for EV charging infrastructure.

Module 4 – Costs and Funding

This module provides resources to help determine potential costs of proposed EV charging infrastructure, as well as how to identify available funding sources. These resources can help you navigate infrastructure ownership questions, as well as provide considerations to prepare for future funding opportunities to support infrastructure build-out.

Activities

  • Download the guiding questions for EV infrastructure costs and funding to better understand potential costs of proposed EV charging infrastructure, available funding sources, and how to prepare for funding opportunities and ask yourself questions such as:
    • What type of charging equipment (i.e., Level 2, DC fast charger) are you considering, and how many of each do you plan to install?
    • What are the key deadlines and requirements associated with each of those funding opportunities? If requirements are not yet released, are there past cycles of those opportunities that you could use as an example to help you prepare early?
    • Are there any cost-share requirements for any funding opportunity you are considering? If so, what local cost-share options might be available to you?

Module 5 – Policies and Incentives

This module provides resources on how state and local governments can facilitate adoption of EV-friendly regulations to streamline the approval process for EV charging infrastructure projects, as well as increase clarity and transparency for applicants. These resources can be used to identify existing policies and incentives that could impact infrastructure development and provide best practices for navigating potential implications of those policies.

Activities

Download the guiding questions to help identify existing policies and incentives for EV charging infrastructure projects. Ask yourself questions such as:

  • What are your local government’s stated goals related to distribution of and/or equitable access to transportation, and EV infrastructure in particular? How could your planning efforts align with, or build on, these goals?
  • Does your utility offer per-charger incentives, such as commercial/large-customer incentives or residential Level 2 and Level 1 charger incentives?
  • Does your state have any state-level planning or deployment guides for EV charging infrastructure? How does your EV charging project align with your state’s plan for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program?

Contextual Policy Scan Worksheet

Download this worksheet to help develop the introductory policy context section of your EV infrastructure plan.

Module 6 – Regulations for Zoning, Permitting, and Codes

This module provides resources on how building codes, parking ordinances, and zoning ordinances can influence EV infrastructure planning by creating design standards, requiring a minimum number of EV-ready spaces for new construction, or allowing EV charger installation as part of zoning ordinances. These resources can be used to identify whether your jurisdiction’s existing regulations create challenges for building out EV infrastructure, and help you to strategize potential updates.

Activities

Download the guiding questions to help you identify opportunities to update codes and ordinances and streamline permitting processes to accelerate EV charger deployment in your community. To get started, ask yourself questions like:

  • In your jurisdiction, are building codes set at the state level, or can the local government adopt building codes that supersede state codes (home rule)?
  • Does your state have legislation that requires or incentivizes local governments to adopt building codes with EV-ready requirements, a minimum number of accessible charging stations, or a streamlined permitting process?
  • Do current zoning ordinances allow EV charging stations at existing buildings and new buildings?
  • What updates are needed for your jurisdiction to become EV-friendly?

Use the Permitting and Codes Memo Template as a worksheet to organize your research and recommendations for updating municipal cotes and streamline permitting for the build-out of EV charging infrastructure.

Module 7 – Procurement, Ownership, and Operation

This module provides resources on how to develop approaches to EV charging infrastructure ownership structures and procurement strategies. These resources can be used to identify your preferred ownership and operation approach and develop a request for proposals (RFP) for infrastructure development.

Activities

Download the guiding questions to begin developing approaches to EV charging infrastructure ownership structures and procurement strategies. To get started, ask yourself questions like:

  • How many publicly accessible Level 2 and DC fast chargers will be needed in your community in 2030 and 2035?
  • How are you prioritizing sites for charger installation based on equity, utilization, and proximity to those who need them most?
  • What quantity and level of chargers are you considering at each site?
  • Who will install, own, and operate EV chargers?
  • How will charging equipment be procured?

Download this questionnaire to gather and organize preliminary information to build an RFP for EV charging infrastructure.

Module 8 – Revenue and Fee Structures

This module provides resources to help you think through important considerations related to fees and revenue of both private and publicly owned EV chargers. These resources can be used to identify your preferred approach to pricing and other considerations that could help your jurisdiction recover the installation, maintenance, and operational costs of EV charging infrastructure.

Activities

Download the guiding questions to help you think through important considerations related to fees and revenue of both private and publicly owned EV chargers. To get started, ask yourself questions such as:

  • Will you be selecting sites that are expected to have high usage or that will fill gaps in the charging network but may have lower usage?
  • Who will install, own, and operate EV chargers?

Acknowledgements

The playbook content was adapted from resources developed by NREL and WRI as part of the Clean Energy to Communities (C2C) peer-learning cohorts on equitable and grid-friendly EV charging infrastructure deployment, as well as planning and funding for EV charging infrastructure deployment. The C2C program links communities with expertise and tools to achieve their clean energy goals. C2C is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and managed by NREL in collaboration with Argonne National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

C2C peer-learning cohorts connect participants with education, case studies, tools, templates, training, and facilitated collaboration to enable accelerated clean energy progress. The peer-learning cohorts are funded by DOE and managed by NREL, in collaboration with WRI. Additional thanks to the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation for the financial support to create this guide and to DOE and NREL for creating this interactive playbook.

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