Technical Assistance and Resources for States

The Joint Office of Energy and Transportation (Joint Office) provides technical assistance to departments of transportation that are creating and executing plans under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program. The Joint Office also provides technical assistance to states under the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Discretionary Grant Program.

The Joint Office has electric transportation experts available to help answer questions on electric vehicle (EV) chargers and zero-emission fueling infrastructure. The Joint Office is tasked with helping to ensure that individual efforts in the NEVI Formula Program and CFI Discretionary Grant Program contribute toward a convenient, reliable, affordable, and equitable national EV charging network.

EV charging projects developed under the NEVI Formula Program and CFI Discretionary Grant Program must comply with the:

• Minimum standards for federally funded EV charging infrastructure projects
• Build America, Buy America implementation plan for EV charging equipment.

National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program

The $5 billion NEVI Formula Program provides dedicated funding to states to strategically deploy EV charging infrastructure and establish an interconnected network to facilitate data collection, access, and reliability.

Under this program, each state is required to submit an annual EV Infrastructure Deployment Plan that describes how the state intends to use its apportioned NEVI Formula Program funds in accordance with federal guidance. Below are resources dedicated to plan development and implementation.

In fiscal year (FY) 2022 all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico submitted plans for EV charging infrastructure deployment. Visit the Joint Office State Plans page to view each plan, state funding for FY 2022 and FY 2023 from the NEVI Formula Program, as well as how many miles of EV charging corridors are designated as ready or pending in each state through Round 6 of the Alternative Fuel Corridors (AFCs) program.

Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Discretionary Grant Program

The CFI Discretionary Grant Program provides $2.5 billion through two $1.25 billion discretionary grant programs to strategically deploy publicly accessible EV charging and alternative fueling infrastructure in communities where people live and work and along designated AFCs:

• Community Charging and Fueling Grants: This program will strategically deploy publicly accessible EV charging infrastructure and hydrogen, propane, and natural gas fueling infrastructure in urban and rural communities.
• Alternative Fuel Corridor Grants: This program will strategically deploy publicly accessible EV charging infrastructure and hydrogen, propane, and natural gas fueling infrastructure along designated AFCs.

These programs will ensure infrastructure deployments meet priorities such as increasing access in underserved and overburdened communities (also referred to as disadvantaged communities), supporting rural areas, building resilient infrastructure, addressing climate change, and improving AFC networks.

The CFI Grant Program has awarded $622.57 million in grant funding to 47 applicants to strategically deploy publicly accessible electric vehicle charging and alternative fueling infrastructure in the places people live and work, in addition to along designated AFCs.

Another resource to guide the buildout of community alternative fueling infrastructure is the Alternative Fuel Life-Cycle Environmental and Economic Transportation (AFLEET) CFI Emissions Tool. This resource can assess estimated emissions reductions from EV charging infrastructure and hydrogen, propane, and natural gas fueling infrastructure along designated AFCs.

Key Considerations from Past DOE-Funded Projects

Learn about key considerations from past U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)-funded projects on curbside EV charging, EV car share, EV charging for multifamily housing, and EV mobility hubs. These lessons learned include best practices for engaging stakeholders, strategies for improving the equitable distribution of project benefits, site selection factors, and permitting/policy elements that could impact the project.

• Curbside EV Charging: To expand EV adoption, it is necessary to find and demonstrate solutions that enable people without home charging to charge their vehicle. Curbside charging, including chargers attached to streetlights or other poles, seeks to fill this gap by increasing the locations where consumers can charge their vehicles.
• EV Car Share: Car shares are short-term rentals that enable access to a vehicle for those without their own without the high cost of ownership. Establishing EV car shares reduces emissions and creates awareness of EV benefits in more communities. Car shares can also be used for gig drivers who use EVs for ride hailing, food and meal delivery, and similar services.
• EV Charging for Multifamily Housing: Achieving a high level of transportation decarbonization requires EV adoption beyond just people with access to garages or other dedicated off-street parking that allow them to charge their EVs while at home. Residents of multifamily housing (apartment complexes, condominiums, etc.) are a critical target for expanding the potential market for EVs, and multifamily housing residents will be more likely to adopt EVs if charging solutions to fit their needs are available. Learn from DOE-funded projects that included innovative approaches to deploying EV chargers at multifamily housing, including implementing EV car share programs.
• EV Mobility Hubs: EV mobility hubs allow for charging multiple vehicles and other electrified transport modes such as electric buses or e-bikes. Funded projects developed strong local and regional partnerships to support increased use of EVs. Strong partnerships can efficiently cut through regulatory and market barriers to technology introduction.

Data and Tools for States

As part of a suite of technical assistance resources, the Joint Office connects states with critical data and tools. These tools can help with understanding where EV charging and alternative fueling infrastructure is installed and where existing AFCs are designated.

Contact the Joint Office for technical assistance on EV chargers and zero-emission fueling infrastructure.

Visit the Alternative Fuels Data Center to access resources and connect with seasoned experts who will help you find answers to technical questions about alternative fuels, advanced vehicles, and alternative fueling infrastructure.

EV Program Development Tools

These resources can help states with developing an EV charging program.

• Public EV Charging Infrastructure Playbook: Interactive resources to help communities and other stakeholders plan and build infrastructure to support a zero-emission transportation system
• EV Charging Community Readiness: Summary of resources, tools, and publications designed to help communities prepare and plan for the expansion of EVs and charging infrastructure
• Planning and Zoning Guidance for Electric Vehicle Charger Deployment: Rocky Mountain Institute, along with the Interstate Renewable Energy Council and the Sustainable Energy Action Committee, published a guidance document to support local code officials with planning and zoning for EV charger deployment
• EV States Clearinghouse: Repository for state EV program documents, current state-level EV roadmaps, and other resources to support EV infrastructure program development
• Alternative Fuel Toolkit: Best practices and information from the Alternative Fuel Corridors program