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.

More Public EV Charging Infrastructure Playbook content is coming soon! Stay tuned for the final four modules on policies and incentives; zoning, codes and permitting; fees and revenue; and procurement.

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?

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.