VIRGINIA, USA — Work is happening right now across Virginia to prepare regional electric grids for the electric vehicle (EV) transition.
There were more than 25,000 EVs registered in Virginia in 2021, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. As of July 1, there are approximately 91,000 registered EVs.
However, the growing fleet of EVs on the road doesn’t mean Virginia’s EV infrastructure or electric grid are prepared to keep up.
Under the Clean Cars law passed in 2021, 35% of new vehicles sold in the state need to be zero-emission by 2026, and 100% need to meet the same requirement by 2035.
With that transition, the demand for EV chargers and energy is quickly growing.
That’s why legislation is advancing in the general assembly to help the Commonwealth keep up with the demand.
House Bill 107 creates the Electric Vehicle Rural Infrastructure program. It will help developers fill in the gaps by installing more EV chargers in underdeveloped, rural areas.
Meanwhile, House Bill 405 establishes design standards for chargers in new residential projects, so neighborhoods will have EV-friendly infrastructure built in for new homebuyers.
Both bills have moved to the state Senate after passing in the state House.
In August, the U.S. Department of Energy invested $2.2 billion into beefing up grids in 18 different states, and we’re getting a better idea of those preparations happening in Virginia.
The Old Dominion Electric Cooperative meets quarterly with VDOT for an update on what statewide cooperatives are doing for EV adoption in their territories.
These meetings ensure that if there ever is an overload on the grid, they’ll be aware of ahead of time.
To make the transition easier on consumers financially, Dominion Energy began offering an incentive program to EV owners and businesses that make it cheaper to install charging stations at their homes and places of work.
In the meantime, Virginia continues to build its public charging station infrastructure with $100 million from the federal government.