Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
The Healey-Driscoll administration on Feb. 7 announced an investment of $50 million in initiatives to build out electric vehicle charging infrastructure across Massachusetts.
The state will use American Rescue Plan Act funds to increase access to charging infrastructure for more residents, electrify the state fleet, improve operation of public charging stations, manage the impact of charging infrastructure on the electric grid, and provide charging solutions for difficult-to-electrify vehicle types.
“Many Massachusetts drivers want to make the switch to electric vehicles, but worry about access to charging,” said Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll. “This investment will break down barriers to widespread electric vehicle adoption and help Massachusetts meet its ambitious greenhouse gas emissions targets.”
The funding will support innovative EV technology programs at the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, charging infrastructure investments for the state fleet through Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance and the Department of Energy Resources, testing equipment and staff at the Division of Standards to conduct inspections of public charging stations, and future analysis of EV charging needs by the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Coordinating Council.
Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper said vehicle emissions also impact public health, “especially in environmental justice communities,” so the administration “is creating more equitable access to clean transportation and ensuring drivers in all communities across Massachusetts have the option to choose an electric vehicle.”
Of the funding, $12.5 million is set aside for an Electric Vehicle Curbside Parking for Residents in Multi-Unit Dwellings initiative. The MassCEC will work to help municipalities expand access to EV charging for residents with limited access to home charging, particularly in environmental justice and urban communities, by pursuing pole-mounted and streetlight charger options and addressing regulatory hurdles, complex ownership structures, and unclear business and financial models.
Another $9.5 million will be used for medium- and heavy-duty electrification mobile charging solutions. Medium and heavy-duty vehicles make up 3% of vehicles in Massachusetts, but produce 20% of on-road vehicle emissions, making their electrification critical to reaching the state’s climate goals and to improving air quality in environmental justice communities, especially those near warehouses and ports. The MassCEC will complete a market characterization study paired with deployment projects to demonstrate mobile charging financial models and use cases.
The MassCEC will receive $8 million to deploy EV charging to support the electrification of taxi and transportation network company fleets, intended to support the deployment of electric vehicles in urban areas and environmental justice communities. This project will fund level 2 and fast charging infrastructure projects.
Another $8 million will be used for “vehicle-to-everything” analysis and demonstration projects. Deployment of “bidirectional technology” would allow EV owners to use their car battery as a resource to reduce home energy costs or sell electricity onto the grid. The MassCEC will complete a market characterization analysis and demonstration projects that support vehicle-to-grid and/or vehicle-to-building projects designed to reduce peak demand and provide grid services.
The DCAMM will receive $9.5 million to install fleet EV charging infrastructure in 60 or more high priority sites at state facilities, and the DOER will receive $1.5 million to provide funding to other agencies to install fleet EV charging infrastructure at approximately 60 sites, focusing on those not on the high priority list, non-executive branch fleets, and leased facilities.
In August 2023, the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Coordinating Council’s Initial Assessment found that approximately 10,000 publicly accessible fast charging ports will be necessary to support the light-duty vehicle fleet by 2030, in addition to 35,000 publicly accessible Level 2 stations and more than 700,000 residential and workplace charging stations.
Earlier this year, the administration expanded the Massachusetts Offers Rebates for Electric Vehicles program (MOR-EV), which provides rebates for the purchase or lease of light-, medium-, and heavy-duty battery electric and fuel cell electric vehicles.