How cities are building out public EV charging infrastructure – GWC Mag

Amid federal clean energy policies, automakers’ pledges to transition to zero-emission vehicles and rising consumer demand for electric vehicles, EVs could account for 30 million to 42 million light-duty vehicles on the road by 2030, according to analysts from the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

NREL’s 2030 National Charging Network report, which sets a framework for EV adoption based on low-, medium- and high-adoption scenarios, estimates that the U.S. would need about 1.2 million publicly accessible charging units by 2030. To support a mid-adoption scenario of 33 million EVs on the road by that time, it would need 28 million charging ports, the study said. NREL researchers forecast that the country will require 1 million Level 2 charging ports in publicly accessible locations, including high-density neighborhoods, office buildings and retail outlets, to meet that need.

All 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, have developed detailed plans for building the necessary EV charging infrastructure in their jurisdictions, according to the White House. However, meeting those anticipated needs within six years calls for a cumulative investment of between $31 million and $55 billion in publicly accessible charging infrastructure, NREL’s study found. To curtail some of those costs, many municipalities have opted to partner with private companies, utilizing a number of different contract mechanisms and rebate-functions to implement public EV charging. 

Here are some cities and projects that are working to implement EV charging in 2024. 

City of Phoenix

Capping off an initiative that began in 2023, the city of Phoenix, with support from Salt River Project, successfully installed EV chargers in six Phoenix Public Library locations. These installations expand access to EV chargers for library customers and city residents, supporting a goal of installing 500 city-hosted public charging stations by 2030, laid out in the Phoenix Transportation Electrification Action Plan. 

SRP, the largest electricity provider in the greater Phoenix metropolitan area, provided financial rebates for each new or upgraded charger in addition to guidance throughout the planning and implementation process, according to an April 1 news release. The Phoenix Public Library received $56,000 in rebates from SRP, including $8,000 through the federal Justice40 Disadvantaged Community program, which offers a bonus incentive for EV charger projects in areas considered “marginalized, underserved and overburdened by pollution,” per the release. 

Boston’s Life Sciences hub

Osborn Triangle, a life sciences campus in Cambridge’s Kendall Square which accommodates 650 parking spots, is deploying 83 advanced EV chargers through a partnership between Xeal, Bulfinch Companies and Harrison Street Electrify.  

The partners say the initiative will propel the campus’ life science tenants, including Pfizer, Novartis and LabCentral, toward sustainable transportation. To date, Bulfinch and Harrison Street have installed 12 Level 2 Xeal chargers, which have already delivered 11,500 electric miles and 8,876 pounds of CO2 reduction, according to an April 4 news release. 

JFK Airport

New York City recently announced plans to build a large, publicly accessible EV charging station at JFK Airport, through a contract with sustainable urban infrastructure firm Wildflower. The charging station will sit on a 2.3-acre land parcel between Nassau Expressway and Rockaway Boulevard. The development will initially span 65 EV charging stations, including 12 DC fast-charging stations available round the clock, per a March. 20 news release from the New York City Economic Development Corporation.

Construction is expected to wrap in 2025. Once completed, the 24/7 facility is initially expected to charge 1,000 vehicles annually. Electrical conduits will also be installed throughout the site to allow more charging stations to be added over time, as demand grows, NYCEDC said in the release. 

San Diego

San Diego, which hopes to create a regional network of reliable EV charging stations, is working out the modalities of a 10-year concession contract with True Upside Consulting. 

City officials selected the firm to build the network using 400 parking lots across the city’s libraries, beaches, recreation centers, parks and other public facilities, the Del Mar Times reported. 

In a discussion agenda last month, city officials said the initiative would align with its goals of slashing mobile source emissions, facilitating a transition to zero-emissions EVs. 

The contract, which does not involve an upfront investment, requires the contractor to pay for the use of city property, but the complex revenue-sharing agreement could end up costing the city as much as $60 million in reimbursement costs for the electrical infrastructure installed by the contractor, according to the Del Mar Times. 

Revenue from the contract would be placed in a lock-box account, so that it cannot be spent, and would cover an estimated 75% to 85% of what the city will owe, leaving the municipality to hope that state and federal grants for EV charging would cover the remaining cost. City officials are expected to consider a contract in late April, according to the Del Mar Times.