Regional Variations in Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Infrastructure in the United States: An Applied Equity Analysis

Keywords: Electric Vehicles, Transport Equity, Accessibility,
Abstract Type: Paper Abstract

Abstract

Transportation paradigm shifts in the United States have historically produced spatio-temporal disparities in accessibility to opportunities between different of people. Since transportation investments require large amounts of funding and time to complete, it is hard to adjust or reverse new developments once they are established. For this reason, a popular transportation equity viewpoint states that traditionally disadvantaged communities should be given priority in new investments. This research applies this notion of prioritarian equity to the subject of electric vehicle (EV) charging. EVs are being promoted as an innovation that may reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve local environmental pollution in communities, and reduce the total cost of vehicle ownership for consumers. Eager to achieve these benefits, state legislatures are now beginning to mandate an electric future for transportation. With EV adoption pressures increasing due to state actions, it is imperative that this new paradigm shift does not exclude communities based on factors such as race, gender, income, geographic location, and age. To that end, this research examines the national distribution and accessibility of electric vehicle charging using a friction layer and averaging approach. Results from this analysis are analyzed in the context of horizontal and vertical transportation equity indicators, providing key performance indicators about regional variations in the diffusion of electric vehicle charging infrastructure. By analyzing these differences, it may become possible to prioritize certain regions for development and to create a new conceptual framework for EV placement that considers socioeconomic characteristics and not solely traditional market and utility constraints.