Utah Clean Cities Coalition and National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) release the “Electric Vehicle Charging Needs Assessment,” a report that identifies needs and opportunities for electric vehicle (EV) fast charging in rural and underserved areas of the intermountain west.

The Assessment was developed in partnership with the CORWest project, a three-year initiative to support EV infrastructure investment and educational opportunities in rural and underserved areas of the intermountain west, with an emphasis on gateway communities to national parks and other recreational destinations in the region. The CORWest project is a collaboration of the REV West states and Clean Cities Coalitions throughout the region. 

The Assessment summarizes key findings from a questionnaire administered to over 500 local governments, electric service providers, and parks or tourism representatives in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming, and also reviews EV registration and mapping data to identify infrastructure gaps and other challenges to EV charging deployment in the region. The questionnaire results confirmed that “range anxiety,” lack of infrastructure near recreation sites, and the cost of the vehicles and stations remain significant barriers to EV infrastructure investment. In addition, respondents across the region cited the need for information and education campaigns, including highway signage, EV-focused tourism campaigns, and ride-and-drives. The report includes a summary of potential actions state agencies and Clean Cities Coalitions in the west can take to address these barriers and advance EV deployment.

To download the Assessment, click here.