How Rural Towns Can Prepare for EV Charging And Why Do It

Jun 14

Innovations in electric vehicle (EV) technology will continue their accelerated and forward trend in the coming years. These innovations include the expansion of EV infrastructure in rural towns as well as metropolises and small cities. The future of EV tech is here, and it’s here to stay. The question is how soon the rest of the country can catch up to make EV transportation a more practical option and accessible to everyone.

How Rural Towns Can Benefit From EV Charging Installations

The future of EV charging relies heavily on expanded access to charging stations. Phasing out all gas-fueled vehicles, transitioning to fully electric vehicles and making EV ownership the norm can only be achieved when charging infrastructure is available throughout the country — strategically placed to make EV transportation to and from any point within the continental US a reality.

This means rural towns will have to start preparing to adopt EV technology and make plans to install EV charging stations. Rural America makes up just under 25% of the population, and 94% of drivers from small towns still rely on gas-powered vehicles. These are significant numbers that will affect the country’s efforts to transition to EVs completely. They also represent a huge business opportunity for EV manufacturers.

In addition to the undeniable benefits to the local environment, expanding EV charging infrastructure to rural areas offers a number of great benefits, including:

Undisrupted and even increased commerce through local tourism and regular traveler stopovers, as EV owners from urban areas will naturally avoid small towns where they don’t have access to charging stations
A stable source of additional revenue for the community
A boost to individual businesses where charging stations are installed, as potential customers who drive EVs will choose to do business where they can also conveniently charge their vehicles
A stronger local economy

Installing EV Charging Infrastructure in Rural Towns

Range anxiety is a considerable weight on the upward trend in EV demand. EV battery technology has advanced by leaps and bounds, but even the greatest driving range to date is limited by the availability of charging stations — or more accurately, the lack thereof. Filling the gaps in the national EV infrastructure means installing EV charging stations in rural towns. An all-inclusive approach is the only way to establish a completely interconnected EV road map throughout the country.

A well-planned EV charging infrastructure that includes small towns can successfully be installed with the help of a nonprofit power-supplier cooperative. For example, the Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association has done precisely this for rural towns in New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming and Nebraska.

Establishing a robust and continuous EV infrastructure will require coordinated planning among the federal government, rural electric cooperatives and EV companies. A successful partnership among all stakeholders will ensure widespread infrastructure placement, including rural towns, and increased EV use.

With automakers investing tens of billions of dollars in EVs, the rapid expansion of the charging network has become an urgent necessity. Ensuring that rural communities are not left behind can only be done through coordinated efforts among all levels of government and electric providers.

Offering Incentives to Businesses and EV Buyers/Owners

As with any emerging technology, some of the birthing pains involve substantial up-front costs. In rural areas where the cost of living is considerably lower, following the EV trend would mean an immensely expensive undertaking.

Financial incentives can help drive the adoption of EV infrastructure and EV ownership in rural areas:

For manufacturers, regulations that require them to produce a certain number of EVs in a given period will drive the transition to electric.
Private EV charging investors and rural cooperatives can be given federal and state rebates to encourage EV charging stations in rural communities.
Higher adoption rates can be fueled by allowing rural electric cooperatives to reduce consumer charging costs by offering flexible rate schedules.
Consumers can be encouraged to switch to EVs through financial incentives at the point of sale and nonmonetary benefits, such as car-pool-lane privileges.
Utility companies can offer flexible utility rates for at-home charging during the night, when energy demand is also lower.

Assessing the Number of Chargers and Amount of Power Needed

Many rural areas do not have a robust electrical infrastructure; their limited power output also limits the number of EVs they can charge and the number of charging stations they can support.

Maximizing the benefits of a charging station requires high utilization rates, but high utilization also requires an adequate power supply. Investments in charging infrastructure can be encouraged through vouchers or grants to help fund the planning and installation of public EV charging stations. These investments, in turn, will increase the income of the rural electric infrastructure, making for a more robust power supply to meet the demands of rural charging stations and thereby increase utilization rates.

High utilization rates are also achieved by installing charging stations in strategic locations, such as near hospitals, schools, community centers, commercial establishments and other central community locations. Mapping out centralized locations for EV charging infrastructure will help determine the number of chargers needed and the amount of power required to supply them.

How EV Connect Can Help

EV Connect delivers EV charging management solutions for access, pricing and performance of charging stations, whether for multifamily developments, workplaces, municipalities, educational institutions, retail locations, hotels or hospitals. As an approved vendor, we can also help you take advantage of valuable incentives available under federal and state sustainability programs.

Our experts have deployed more than 7,000 charging stations to date. Our project-management team makes the process cost-effective and straightforward whether you are looking for a complete turnkey solution or facilitation with your own installation. If you are looking to invest in rural EV charging infrastructure, EV Connect can help set you up.