Many US Communities Face EV ‘Charging Deserts.’ 5 Strategies Can Help

The document argues that the U.S. transition to electric vehicles risks leaving behind low-income, rural, and minority communities due to 'charging deserts' and financial barriers. It outlines five strategies for local governments to ensure equitable access: utilizing community input for siting, prioritizing multifamily housing and charging deserts, expanding urban curbside charging, increasing pricing transparency, and supporting diverse e-mobility modes. The guide emphasizes that overcoming disparities in homeownership and energy burdens is essential for a just energy transition.

• The U.S. faces a significant gap in charging infrastructure; while the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) projects that powering 33 million EVs by 2030 would require 28 million charging ports, as of July 2023, the country had only 141,900 publicly accessible ports and 19,600 private non-residential ports.
• Systemic disparities in homeownership and housing quality create barriers to EV adoption, as renters and residents of multifamily housing often lack dedicated off-street parking or the ability to perform electrical upgrades. Homeownership rates are lower for Black, Hispanic, and Native American households (47%) compared to white households (72%).
• Low-income and minority households face higher energy burdens that make EV charging less affordable. Black households spend 43% more, Native American households 45% more, and Hispanic households 20% more of their income on energy costs compared to white households.
• Local governments can address 'charging deserts' by prioritizing infrastructure in areas with high densities of multifamily housing and renter-occupied properties, as seen in Cook County, Illinois, and the Kings County Association of Governments in California.
• Expanding curbside charging in dense urban areas helps renters; New York City's pilot with Con Edison and FLO saw utilization rates reach 54% in some areas, while Los Angeles is utilizing pole-mounted chargers on streetlights.
• Pricing for public charging is currently non-standardized and often requires smartphones or credit cards, which burdens low-income users. Local governments can mitigate this by requiring transparent signage, pay-per-kilowatt-hour structures, or offering discounted memberships.
• Equitable electrification must extend beyond private cars to include e-bikes, e-scooters, and public transit. Examples include Denver's income-qualified e-bike rebate program and Pittsburgh's development of 50 multimodal mobility hubs that accept cash payments.

APA

World Resources Institute (2023). Many US Communities Face EV ‘Charging Deserts.’ 5 Strategies Can Help. https://www.wri.org/insights/electric-vehicle-charging-station-access

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Many US Communities Face EV ‘Charging Deserts.’ 5 Strategies Can Help. 2023. https://www.wri.org/insights/electric-vehicle-charging-station-access.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Many US Communities Face EV ‘Charging Deserts.’ 5 Strategies Can Help |date=25 September 2023 |url=https://www.wri.org/insights/electric-vehicle-charging-station-access |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitute2023many, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Many US Communities Face EV ‘Charging Deserts.’ 5 Strategies Can Help}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {2023}, month = sep, url = {https://www.wri.org/insights/electric-vehicle-charging-station-access}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }