Electric Vehicle Charging Overview
Imagine never having to stop at a gas station again – and instead, having an unlimited supply of fuel available at home or wherever you normally park. For many electric vehicle (EV) drivers, this is a reality. Battery electric vehicles never need gas, and for short trips, plug–in hybrids might use no gas.
EV charging is simple, cost–effective, clean and convenient, particularly when you are plugged in at home – filling up your car, even while you’re asleep.
There are three categories of electric vehicle (EV) charging: Level 1, Level 2 and DC fast charging. Levels 1 and 2 charging use a universal connector that can be plugged into any EV. DC fast charging uses three different connector systems called CHAdeMO, CCS Combo and Tesla Supercharger.
Although EV drivers primarily charge at home, workplace and public chargers are increasingly available in communities nationwide. Use our EV Charging Station Map to find nearby charging stations.
Level 1 Charging
Level 1 is the slowest method of charging but is sufficient for drivers who charge overnight and travel 30–40 miles per day. Charging cables usually come with a vehicle and plug into a standard 120–volt AC outlet with no equipment installation required. Level 1 charging works well for charging at home, work or anywhere a standard outlet is available – and when you have sufficient time to charge.
Level 1 charging uses a standard J1772 or Tesla connector that can plug into any EV, either directly, or through an adapter.
Level 1 charging adds about 3.5 – 6.5 miles of driving range per hour of charging time.
Level 2 Charging
Level 2 charging is considerably faster, but requires installing a charging station, also known as electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE). EVSE requires a dedicated 240–volt or 208–volt electrical circuit, similar to what is required for a clothes dryer or electric range. Level 2 is found at many public and workplace charging stations, but also in many homes. It uses the same standard connector as Level 1 charging, meaning any EV can plug in at any Level 2 charger.
Level 2 charging uses a standard J1772 or Tesla connector that can plug into any EV, either directly, or through an adapter.
Depending on battery type, charger configuration and circuit capacity, Level 2 charging adds about 14 – 35 miles of range per hour of charging time.
Counties directly eligible for 700 million in FY 2023 USDOT Electric Vehicle Charging Grants
Generally, the federal share for this program is 80 percent. Notably, under both the Community Grants and the Corridor Grants, a county contracting with a private entity must include a condition requiring that entity to cover the 20 percent local match requirement.
Unlike the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program (NEVI), CFI awards can be used to place chargers in a more discretionary manner; however, the BIL still requires recipients of CFI funds to follow certain minimum standards and requirements outlined in the NEVI guidance. Additionally, as part of President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, this program has an emphases on investing in rural, underserved and disadvantaged communities.
USDOT will host two webinars on CFI, March 21, 1 PM ET and March 22, 2 PM ET. NACo will also host a webinar on March 24, 11 AM ET. Register here.
Counties play a major role in America’s transportation and infrastructure network, owning and operating 44 percent of public roads and 38 percent of bridges.- more than any other level of government. Federal funding opportunities like CFI allow counties to continue to modernize our infrastructure while building a more sustainable future.
On March 14, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Federal Highway Administration released a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program (CFI). Funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), this program makes 700 million (combination of FY 2022 and FY 2023 funding) available through a competitive grants to support the deployment of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, as well as hydrogen, propane and natural gas fueling. Counties are directly eligible to apply for this program through USDOT until 11:59 PM ET on the June 13, 2023, deadline, which is an extension of 14 days from the original deadline.
The CFI will mainly provide funding for Level II chargers in publicly accessible areas in and around local communities through two components:
350 million for Community Charging and Fueling Grants
- Funds project on any public road or publicly accessible location that must also be accessible to individuals with disabilities
- Allows contracting with a private entity
- Minimum award = 500,000; Maximum award = 15 million
- Must address environmental justice and is encouraged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
350 million for Corridor Grants
- Must be publicly accessible and located along a designated Alternative Fuel Corridor
- Minimum award = 450 million; No maximum award
- Must be used to contract with a private entity and address environmental justice
Generally, the federal share for this program is 80 percent. Notably, under both the Community Grants and the Corridor Grants, a county contracting with a private entity must include a condition requiring that entity to cover the 20 percent local match requirement.
Unlike the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program (NEVI), CFI awards can be used to place chargers in a more discretionary manner; however, the BIL still requires recipients of CFI funds to follow certain minimum standards and requirements outlined in the NEVI guidance. Additionally, as part of President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, this program has an emphases on investing in rural, underserved and disadvantaged communities.
USDOT will host two webinars on CFI, March 21, 1 PM ET and March 22, 2 PM ET. NACo will also host a webinar on March 24, 11 AM ET. Register here.
Counties play a major role in America’s transportation and infrastructure network, owning and operating 44 percent of public roads and 38 percent of bridges.- more than any other level of government. Federal funding opportunities like CFI allow counties to continue to modernize our infrastructure while building a more sustainable future.
What Is Charge Up Michigan?
For equipment installation, the state provides incentives through its Charge Up Michigan Program. Through the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), the state is allocating 9.7 million in grants. The money comes from the state’s share of the Volkswagen diesel emissions settlement with the US Environmental Protection Agency.
Any public or private organization located in Michigan or that has significant presence in Michigan may apply for a grant. Eligibility extends to municipalities as well as private businesses. The program awards up to 70,000 per station location or up to one-third of the total equipment cost.
The state requires that applicants for Charge Up Michigan grants are in partnership with the electric utility that services the area of the charger installation. The electric utility must approve the installation. In short, this means applying for a grant also involves enrolling in a utility EV program.
The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) recognizes EV programs through all three Michigan utilities: Consumers Energy, DTE Electric, and Indiana Michigan Power Company. These programs involve encouraging EV adoption, testing technology and rate designs, and monitoring customer response.
In addition to the mandated partnership with a local utility company, the state generally requires grant recipients to place publicly available chargers in certain locations. Two 2019 Michigan State University studies looked at how to optimize the placement of EV charging stations throughout the state.
How Does My Utility Company Provide Incentives?
For electrical infrastructure, residential and commercial customers can receive an EV charger rebate through the utility company. This rebate is called the Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) Rebate and differs slightly depending on the utility company involved.
Consumers Energy offers rebates through its PowerMIDrive program. Companies who install DC fast chargers can receive a rebate up to 70,000. This is in addition to the state’s equipment grant. Residential customers who install a level two charger at home can receive a 500 rebate per vehicle.
POWERMIDRIVE Program Rebates
In addition, Consumers Energy offers a Nighttime Savers Rate for drivers who charge between 7:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. Depending on the season, customers can save from 1.3 to 3.8 cents per kilowatt if they charge during these off-peak hours.
In 2020, Consumers Energy introduced an additional program: PowerMIFleet. PowerMIFleet offers fleet owners and operators several categories of rebates. First, up to 5,000 is available for the installation of a level two port. Other available grants include 35,000 for a nonpublic DC fast charger and 70,000 for a public DC fast charger. Consumers Energy will also pay for upgrades to electrical infrastructure, such as power lines, transformers, and meters.
POWERMIDRIVE Program Rebates
DTE Electric’s program is called Charging Forward. For public charger site hosts, DTE Electric offers rebates of up to 20,000 toward infrastructure. The company that installs the EV charger is responsible for the equipment cost, which a state grant could help cover. Residential customers can receive a rebate for installing a level two charger and agreeing to enroll in related utility programs.
Indiana Michigan Power does not offer a rebate. Rather, its EV pilot program measures EV charging load separately from the customer’s overall load. This allows Indiana Michigan to charge a lower rate for EV charging than for regular electrical use.
Government Incentives
Over the last several years, several models of electric vehicles have been introduced into the market, and their popularity has been sharply increasing. Electric vehicles are only gaining in popularity, and it’s important that the infrastructure necessary for charging these vehicles is put in place as more and more of them are driven.
At EV Charging Installers of America, our goal is to help create that new infrastructure while also meeting the needs of our clients and exceeding their expectations. Installing a new electric vehicle charging station can be very beneficial to you, whether it’s at a residence or a commercial property, and our professionals can make sure that you receive the highest quality products and most reliable installation.
Along with the benefits that you’ll get from simply installing a new electric vehicle charging station, there are also some great government incentives that you can receive.
Commercial Federal Government Incentives
A business or commercial entity that installs electric vehicle charging stations may be eligible for a tax credit of 30% of the costs up to 30,000. This credit may be applied to EV charging stations installed between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2016. This credit can be applied to each commercial site at which EC chargers were installed.
If you purchase and install an EV charger for your home, you may eligible for a tax credit of up to 30% of the costs up to 450,000. This credit may be applied to home EV charging stations installed between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2016.
New York State Alternative Fuels Vehicle Recharging Tax Credit
As of 2013, New York State provides an income tax credit for 50% of the cost of an EV charging station installation up to 5,000. This credit is available through December 31, 2017.
Employees spend one-third of their day with their car sitting in the parking lot while working. This makes workplaces ideal locations for electric vehicle owners to charge throughout the workday. The Charging Pyramid on the bottom right shows the places electric vehicle drivers charge the most and the commonly used charging infrastructure. The Workplace Charging Grant Program provides grants to employers to offset the cost of purchasing and installing electric vehicle charging stations. This program is designed to support and encourage employees to purchase and drive electric vehicles to work, which reduces vehicle emissions.
Upon completion of work in accordance with the eligibility criteria, NJDEP will reimburse each applicant as follows:
- Up to 250 per Level 1 charging station; and
- Up to 5,000 per Level 2 charging station.
Recent Articles
This is where your customer reviews will go Local Customer Read
We’ll place different reviews here and on your main Reviews section as well Local Customer Read