Delaware’s Vehicle Electrification Future

The transportation sector is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Delaware. One of the commitments of Delaware’s Climate Action Plan is to minimize these transportation related emissions and transition to vehicles reliant on clean and renewable energy. This goal, along with federal investment in electric vehicles and their charging stations, means that Delaware must plan and prepare for a future of electric transportation.

Delaware’s Department of Transportation (DelDOT) is partnering with the following agencies to plan and execute this transition as effectively as possible: Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), Department of Health Social Services (DHSS), State Housing Authority, Department of Labor, and Department of Education. Engaging with stakeholders and receiving feedback from the public is an important part of this process and will ensure that the community is most effectively represented.

Background

The passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which later became known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, represents $500 billion of federal investment in infrastructure and planning resources. The adoption of this law created the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) formula program. The NEVI program will provide nearly $15 million to Delaware over a five-year period to deploy fast and reliable electric vehicle charging stations along highways.

DelDOT is required to submit a plan to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation to be approved before NEVI funding can be accessed. In the first year, the funding will be used for high powered direct current fast charging (DCFC) stations along major highway corridors in Delaware.

Simultaneously, DelDOT and DNREC initiated the process of creating a statewide electric vehicle infrastructure plan. These plans are related, and some components will inevitably overlap.

The two agencies have partnered with consulting firm AECOM to develop a statewide EV infrastructure roadmap. This plan will help us understand where charging stations should be located around Delaware, based on how many EVs we expect to see on the roads in future years.

These plans are separate but work together to help us understand future charging needs in Delaware. Formulation of the NEVI Plan will give us access to our apportioned federal funding and will allow for the timely deployment of high-powered public charging stations along major highways. The statewide roadmap will allow us to accurately anticipate the state’s electric vehicle charging needs for years to come.