VHB worked with the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC) to develop an Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Assessment and Deployment Plan to meet the growing demand for EV charging infrastructure in Hampshire and Hampden Counties. The project integrated VHB’s climate action, urban and regional planning, transportation, technology, and public engagement services and was funded by a planning grant provided by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration.
VHB looked at historical EV adoption trends to forecast the estimated number of battery electric vehicles (BEV) and plug-in hybrid EVs (PHEV) in the region through 2035. This allowed our team to project the quantity and types of electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) required to meet the projected demand. The team also analyzed the charging infrastructure to determine how it should be distributed across the region, in terms of private, semi-private (such as at shared housing developments and workplace charging), and public Level 2 and DC fast-charging stations. This analysis emphasized “garage orphans”—EV owners who do not have access to home charging solutions. The analysis incorporated MassDOT Regional Environmental Justice “Plus” (REJ+) data to prioritize EVSE installations for disadvantaged communities.
Image right: Existing EV charging stations in the Pioneer Valley.
