NASEO, AASHTO, and the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation Host the Second Annual EV Charging Infrastructure National Conference

Hundreds of State Energy Office and State Department of Transportation representatives and other electric vehicle (EV) charging stakeholders came together to advance the buildout of a convenient, affordable, reliable, and equitable national EV charging network. Hosted by the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO), in partnership with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and the U.S. Joint Office of Energy and Transportation (Joint Office), the 2024 EV Charging Infrastructure National Conference in Detroit brought together nearly 300 EV infrastructure leaders and subject matter experts from state governments, federal agencies, local governments, utilities, and the private sector to explore solutions for further collaboration on the buildout of the growing national EV charging network.

The Conference took place September 23-24, 2024, and featured presentations from leading states; regional dialogues on progress and lessons learned; and clarifying program guidance from federal program administrators. A keynote session featured a dialogue between Joint Office Executive Director, Gabe Klein and the Directors of the Michigan Department of Transportation and State Energy Office, Bradley Wieferich and Julie Staveland, respectively. Electric utilities and EV charging providers and developers, including those who have been awarded numerous state contracts to build and operate NEVI-funded charging stations, also shared best practices. Multi-state topical working groups focused on grid integration of EV chargers, equity, cybersecurity, and data and reporting shared learnings and draft recommendations with additional Conference attendees.

In partnership with the Joint Office, NASEO and AASHTO provide support to state practitioners of the National EV Infrastructure (NEVI) program and other transportation and energy programs created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The NEVI program provides $5 billion dollars in dedicated formula funding to states to strategically deploy EV charging infrastructure and establish an interconnected network. Initially, funding under this program is directed to designated Alternative Fuel Corridors (AFCs) for EVs, particularly along the Interstate Highway System. When the national network is fully built out, funding may be used on any public road or in other publicly accessible locations.

In addition to NEVI, many states are supplementing support for EV charging infrastructure with additional funding programs and policies, including support for home, workplace, and community charging; streamlined permitting and zoning for EV charging infrastructure, and workforce development programs for EV charging installers and technicians. In partnership with the Joint Office, NASEO and AASHTO will continue to support states with EV charging infrastructure program design and implementation, including leveraging additional federal funding opportunities, such as the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) discretionary grant program, the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Improvement Program, the Carbon Reduction Program (CRP), the U.S. State Energy Program, Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), and the newly-announced Multifamily Green Resilient and Retrofit Program (GRRP). NASEO,AASHTO, and project partners have also published resources including models for interagency collaboration on EV infrastructure programs, state NEVI case studies (for Alaska, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, with more on the way), consolidated recommendations from state NEVI funding applicants, and an online dashboard summarizing how equity and Justice40 goals are addressed in states' FY24 NEVI Plans. Additional resources are in development.