The Irving City Council on Feb. 9, approved an electric vehicle (EV) charging needs assessment. The assessment will provide data-driven insight to build a charging infrastructure strategy based on current and future EV driver needs, including within disadvantaged communities. The City Council’s Transportation and Natural Resources Committee will use this data to develop a comprehensive infrastructure plan. Once completed, the plan can help Irving apply for future federal and state grants, including the Discretionary Grant Program for Charging and Fueling Infrastructure, which allocates $1.25 billion to community charging under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).
The infrastructure plan will be compiled by analyzing disparate data sources, such as local mobility, demographic, commercial and site-specific data, to provide detailed options for key EV infrastructure challenges, including expected EV adoption, optimal charger quantity and locations, the right mix of charging infrastructure and anticipated energy requirements from the grid. One of the plan’s goals is to help identify optimal charger locations and charging speeds in disadvantaged communities.