According to a recent study, North Carolina ranked fifth most-improved state for EV infrastructure from 2022-2023. Central Pines Regional Council is poised to help build upon that reputation after being awarded a $3.9 million grant to establish and enhance the growing national EV charging infrastructure.

In February, the automotive research site ISeeCars.com, ranked North Carolina as the fifth most-improved state for electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure. The study found a 26.8% increase in the ratio of charging stations per resident - from 3,403 residents per charger in 2022 to 2,490 residents per charger in 2023.

Central Pines Regional Council (CPRC) and Triangle Clean Cities Coalition are excited to build upon this momentum by announcing a $3.9 million grant to further expand the reliability of the national public EV charging infrastructure.

The grant, part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Ride and Drive program, is funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to allow CPRC to leverage the National Charging Experience Consortium (ChargeX Consortium) working with the Idaho National Laboratory as the technical lead and 26 Clean Cities Coalitions across 23 states to assess the performance, reliability, and uptime of Level 2 and Direct Current Fast Charging (DCFC) public stations.

These agencies will work together to establish a standardized, user-friendly experience for EV public charging stations, ignite community-based workforce programs that are scalable nationwide, and strengthen charging networks to ensure equitable access.

The outcome of this program will inform and bring key players to establish collaborative, sustainable solutions to expand access to a seamless EV charging infrastructure for the growing nationwide EV adoption, which, according to Drive Electric, accounts for over 4.6 million sold cumulatively in the US by the end of 2023 with Kelly Blue Book forecasts of consistent growth, reaching 10% EV share this year.

"We are elated to have been chosen for this nationally significant grant award," said Lee Worsley, Central Pines Regional Council Executive Director. "This project exemplifies Central Pines Regional Council's commitment to sustainable transportation solutions and environmental resiliency which is a testament to the council's talented staff and our commitment to fostering innovation." In addition, through this grant, CPRC will help further cement North Carolina's reputation as an undisputed leader in electric vehicle technology and solution-oriented innovation.

Worsley noted that the project directly addresses two of CPRC's six defined focus areas: environment & resilience and mobility & transportation.

In addition to public programs, North Carolina continues to bring private investment dollars from the EV industry. Wolfspeed, Vinfast, and Kempower are just some of the many companies that have invested millions of dollars in getting jobs and facilities in central North Carolina.

Central Pines Regional Council (CPRC) is the resource and support hub for local governments, community members, and partners across Chatham, Durham, Johnston, Lee, Moore, Orange, and Wake Counties. To learn more about the six CPRC focus areas, visit centralpinesnc.gov.

Triangle Clean Cities Coalition is a partnership with the US Department of Energy focused on making it easier to adopt alternative fuel vehicles in the region. 

For more information contact Jesse Duran at jduran@centralpinesnc.gov and be on the lookout for updates.