Facilitating Equity-Oriented Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Investments

Strategies for Project Design

October 2024

Report cover with electric vehicle charging infrastructure image. Green banner on top reads the report title, also listed in text above.As the national EV market is expected to grow nearly tenfold by 2030, state, federal, and private sector dollars are increasingly flowing into EV infrastructure across the U.S. However, charging investments have thus far faced significant barriers to equity. Current disparities in EV access risk further disenfranchising already underserved communities, impeding the widespread uptake of sustainable transportation options, and perpetuating patterns of mobility and environmental inequality.

The emerging California and U.S. policy context provides an opportunity to design needed EV infrastructure plans in a manner that advances local economic prosperity and environmental justice. This policy report presents three strategies for local governments and community-based organizations seeking to design equity-oriented EV infrastructure investments, including community oversight councils, Community Benefits Agreements, and participatory budgeting processes. These measures are explored through multiple case studies and presented alongside additional tools for equity-oriented project design to inform local jurisdiction-scale EVSE development.

This report identifies the following thematic recommendations across these strategies to advance equity in public EV charging projects:

  1. Establish formalized and enforceable processes for community input in clean mobility infrastructure investments.
  2. Employ democratic decision-making processes across the project life cycle.
  3. Ensure community engagement and education as the foundation of equity-oriented project development and success.

As the agenda-setting entities responsible for the details of clean mobility planning, local governments will play a key role in ensuring the development of an equitable mobility transition, and should integrate the strategies detailed in this report in their long-term infrastructure plans. For more detail on community benefits tools to support equitable climate infrastructure investments, including Community Benefits Agreements, please see CLEE’s report on Community Benefits Tools and California Clean Energy Projects.

Access the full report here: Facilitating Equity-Oriented Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Investments: Strategies for Project Design


Contact Kasia Dahlbeck and Ted Lamm for more information.