Towards Equitable and Transformative Investments in Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure

This report provides a summary of the EV charging investments included in recent congressional bills on climate, clean energy, and transportation, and outlines ways federal investments could be designed to be more equitable and transformative. Georgetown Climate Center and M.J. Bradley & Associates provide lessons and examples from previous federal programs, and describe examples of state and local transportation, clean energy, and climate policies that federal policymakers can learn from and build upon. Key themes from the report include:

• Equity and Environmental Justice: Federal investments in transportation electrification can advance environmental justice and equity in communities overburdened by air pollution and underserved by transportation. Targeted investments in electric transportation can improve air quality and transportation accessibility in the communities who need it most and achieve more equitable outcomes by giving these communities leading roles in planning, prioritizing, and implementing investment programs.
• The Scale of the Opportunity: Significant investments in charging infrastructure will be necessary to support a zero-emission transportation system in the United States, and these investments have the potential to deliver public health and climate benefits, create jobs, and stimulate private investments in clean energy technology. To maximize benefits, minimize costs, and achieve a transportation electrification market transformation, investment must also be accompanied by deliberate coordination and planning.
• Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicle Electrification: There is a significant opportunity for federal investment to accelerate the electrification of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, including trucks, buses, and port equipment--significant sources of harmful air pollution, such as ozone, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter.

A press release about the report is available here.

This report was authored by Matthew Goetz, Ryan Levandowski, and James Bradbury, Georgetown Climate Center, and Grace Van Horn, M.J. Bradley & Associates.