Tens of thousands of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations are available in the United States. These charging stations are being installed in key areas throughout the country for public charging and workplace charging as a supplement to residential charging. Most EV owners do the majority of their charging at home.
Find charging stations by location or along a route. Use the Advanced Filters to search for private and planned stations, as well as charging stations to match certain search criteria.
Consumers and fleets considering electric vehicles—which include all-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs)—need access to charging stations. For most drivers, this starts with charging at home or at fleet facilities. Charging stations at workplaces and public destinations may help bolster market acceptance by offering more flexible charging opportunities at commonly visited locations. Community leaders can find out more through EV readiness planning, including case studies of ongoing successes. The EVI-X Toolbox offers resources to estimate the charging infrastructure necessary to support typical daily travel in a given state or city, charging infrastructure needs to support long-distance travel (100 miles or more) along highway corridors in a given state or county, and to determine how EV charging will impact electricity demand.
The Combined Charging System (CCS), also known as the SAE J1772 combo, charge port on a vehicle can be used to accept charge with Level 1, Level 2, or DC fast charging equipment.
Charging the growing number of EVs in use requires a robust network of stations for both consumers and fleets. The Alternative Fueling Station Locator allows users to search for public and private charging stations. Quarterly reports on EV charging station trends show the growth of public and private charging and assess the current state of charging infrastructure in the United States. Report new charging stations for inclusion in the Station Locator using the Submit New Station form. Suggest updates to existing charging stations by selecting “Report a change” on the station details page.
Learn more about state electrification planning and funding, including information about the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. For information on currently available charging infrastructure models, see the Electric Drive Transportation Association’s GoElectricDrive website and Plug In America's Get Equipped publication, which include information on charging networks and service providers. For a list of ENERGY STAR certified chargers, see the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Product Finder list.
The charging infrastructure industry has aligned with a common standard called the Open Charge Point Interface (OCPI) protocol with this hierarchy for charging stations: location, EV charging port, and connector. The Alternative Fuels Data Center and the Station Locator use the following charging infrastructure definitions:
Charging equipment for EVs is classified by the rate at which the batteries are charged. Charging times vary based on how depleted the battery is (i.e., state-of-charge), how much energy it holds (i.e., capacity), the type of battery, the vehicle's internal charger capacity, and the type of charging equipment (e.g., charging level, charger power output, and electrical service specifications). The charging time can range from less than 20 minutes using DC fast chargers to 20 hours or more using Level 1 chargers, depending on these and other factors. When choosing equipment for a specific application, many factors, such as networking, payment capabilities, and operation and maintenance, should be considered.
Increasing available public and private charging equipment requires infrastructure procurement. Learn about how to successfully plan for, procure, and install charging infrastructure.
Once charging infrastructure has been procured and installed, it must be properly operated and maintained. Learn about charging infrastructure operation and maintenance considerations.
Another standard (SAE J3068) was developed in 2018 for higher rates of AC charging using three-phase power, which is common at commercial and industrial locations in the United States. Some components of the standard were adapted from the European three-phase charging standards and specified for North American AC grid voltages and requirements. In the United States, the common three-phase voltages are typically 208/120 V, 480/277 V. The standard targets power levels between 6 kW and 130 kW.
Extreme fast chargers (XFC), such as the SAE DC Level 2 standard, are capable of power outputs of up 350 kW and higher and are rapidly being deployed in the United States light-duty and select medium-duty applications (e.g., for in-route charging of electric buses). XFC will also support long-dwell overnight charging for medium- and heavy-duty vehicle applications. A 2022 report looks at the requirements for charging stations that could support in-route charging for heavy-duty EVs. While XFC are currently available from several charging manufacturers, the U.S. Department of Energy's Vehicle Technologies Office is pursuing research that will bridge the technology gaps associated with implementing XFC networks in the United States. A 2017 report highlights technology gaps at the battery, vehicle, and infrastructure levels. In particular, many EVs on the roads today are not capable of charging at rates higher than 150 kW. However, vehicle technology is advancing, and most new EV models will be able to charge at higher rates, enabling the use of XFC. You can find additional resources on EV charging and advanced charging system research efforts from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. For answers to frequently asked questions about the Megawatt Charging System and SAE J3271, see the fact sheet on Charging for Heavy-Duty Electric Trucks from Argonne National Laboratory.
Inductive charging equipment, which uses an electromagnetic field to transfer electricity to an EV without a cord, has been introduced commercially for installation as an aftermarket add-on. Some currently available wireless charging stations operate at power levels comparable to Level 2, though this technology is more common for transit or other fleet operations at higher power levels comparable to DC fast. The U.S. Department of Energy is conducting research to investigate the feasibility of high-powered wireless charging. More information on inductive charging research efforts is available from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
There’s no doubt that the electrification of transport will bring many benefits to society and the environment. However, the replacement of a large proportion of our transport fleet by EVs will have massive knock-on effects on our electricity systems. Critics have voiced concerns about whether our current grid systems can handle these new flows in power. For instance, if many people travel home from work and charge their EVs between 5pm and 8pm, this leads to a surge in the power demand. To meet this demand, significant extra investments would be necessary to equip both the networks that transport that electricity and our generation capacity to provide it. This could mean an energy price increase for users too. If EV infrastructures continue to rely on regular charging points, which simply supply power at a standard rate until the vehicle is fully charged, this could cause real issues for EV owners, businesses with charging points, and network operators alike.
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Smart charging could be the key to avoiding such problems. It’s a method of intelligently managing EV charging so it doesn’t overload or destabilize the grid. By opening pathways for data connections, smart charging enables the car, utility company, and charging operator to ‘communicate’ and therefore optimize charging. As such, smart charging will be essential for making the uptake of EVs an effective transition rather than a chaotic disruption.
Balancing the grid with smart charging brings benefits to many different parties: from the user to the operator. So let’s explore how smart charging actually works and how it will benefit the key stakeholders in the new era of cleaner transport.
Smart charging has three central features: Power Sharing, Power Boost, and Dynamic Power Sharing. These features improve the energy efficiency of EV charging and make sure that it doesn’t put too much pressure on the local grid.
Power Boost automatically balances power consumption dynamically between the charger and the rest of the devices in your house. If it looks like you’re reaching maximum capacity, a power boost will automatically reduce how much power is being consumed by your car. It can even pause the charging session altogether until enough power becomes available again to complete the charge. The graph below demonstrates the difference between Power Sharing (load balancing) and Power Boost (peak shaving).
Dynamic Power Sharing combines Power Boost and Power Sharing capabilities. It continuously measures EV charging demand against a site’s maximum allowable energy capacity. This means power can be distributed more evenly across charging stations according to local energy capacity and the site’s chosen tariff (Power Sharing). It also means charging can be stopped or energy consumption lowered temporarily when needed (Power Boost). As a result, charging operators can satisfy energy demand at their sites without having to increase the installation’s overall power capacity. Maximum energy capacity is also never exceeded, meaning no extra demand chargers or blackouts.
Normally, EVs simply plug-in and charge, taking as much energy from the grid as they need to. However, smart charging allows network operators to optimize energy flow into EVs. In other words, they can regulate energy intake according to peaks and lows in energy demand. This means they can provide more reliable services to their customers.
Smart chargers ‘communicate’ with the cars they are plugged into, the utility provider, and the charging point owner through data connections, like in a cloud. Through these data connections, charging operators can measure and manage energy usage and power levels remotely, in real-time.
As a result, smart charging enables grid operators to develop dynamic connected energy systems that can withstand future surges in demand for EV charging. It future proofs business for grid operators, who can offer the best service to their customers by avoiding power shortages and providing energy whenever needed despite unanticipated spikes in demand.
There’s no need to spend billions on reinforcing grids to prepare for more EVs. Instead, by leveraging the power of smart charging to balance the grid, operators can optimize charging infrastructures to be more efficient, more convenient, and more cost-effective for everyone involved.
For businesses with charging points, the management of their charging services will be key to benefiting from the increasing adoption of EVs. Now’s the time to implement smart charging improvements that are fit-for-purpose as EV use soars in the years to come.
First, smart charging enables businesses with charging points to set limits on the consumption of energy. This ensures the business doesn’t exceed their building’s energy capacity, avoiding costly demand charges in the process.
Second, smart charging points can be linked to an app or online platform. This allows businesses to monitor and manage to charge remotely and in real-time. If business owners want to open up their charging points for public use, this data is critical to optimize pricing, availability, and charging power to external customers.
Third, installing charging stations in offices can bring economic benefits that increase the long-term value of the building. A charging station can increase traffic to a particular commercial area and also provide a new revenue stream through energy storage. Of course, the exact revenue potential will depend on the pricing structure any given company can competitively bring to market, however by offering optimized charging at off-peak hours to external customers and potentially storing energy to sell back to grid operators, firms can maximize the financial benefits of having a charging station at their site.
When a car is charged with a smart charger, it will adjust to the maximum energy limits set by the operator. For instance, this limit might be a home’s maximum energy capacity or a predetermined budget set by the EV owner. This means EV owners can relax, knowing their car won’t overuse energy and they have full (remote) control over their energy usage.
Furthermore, smart charging devices ensure EVs always charge safely. They automatically test the connection between the vehicle and the device before they start charging. Since all charging events are monitored and can be controlled remotely, any unusual activity will be flagged by the charging operators’ system. They can then resolve any issues without involving EV owners at all.
Finally, smart charging makes powering EVs significantly cheaper and cleaner for owners concerned about their carbon footprint. EV drivers might choose to be part of a demand-response smart charging project, typically run by energy providers. This can mean receiving preferential energy rates in exchange for agreeing to charge at lower power or at certain times to balance and settle the grid.
As societies move towards more renewable energy sources some owners might have solar panels in their homes, which might vary by day or by season. Demand-response mechanisms (like Power Sharing and Power Boost) allow users to align their charging with renewable energy availability. This allows owners to reduce collective reliance on dirty peaker power plants that support grids when demand peaks. Crucially, EVs can also act as storage devices for times of energy surplus, for example when excess electricity is generated in summer. This not only facilitates our clean energy transition but saves money along the way.
Beyond smart chargers, when bidirectional chargers become the norm, energy companies may also start offering incentives to EV drivers to use their car batteries as temporary power reserves. That’s because bidirectional chargers allow stored electricity to flow into and out of EV batteries. This is sometimes referred to as V2G (vehicle to grid) or V2H (vehicle to home). Thanks to this technology, selling energy back to the grid could be a great source of extra income for EV owners. Some schemes already exist: such as the UK’s Nissan Leaf and Ovo Energy’s partnership scheme. According to a study by MDPI, EV owners could earn up to €400 a year via V2G, and around €3700 over a car’s lifetime.
In anticipation of a world more populated with EVs than ever before, it’s time now to look at how they’re powered. This assessment should be thought of as an opportunity to optimize and digitize the way we distribute, use, generate, and store electricity for generations to come. At the heart of this transformation is smart charging. Especially when combined with bidirectional charging, it will help prevent power outages, improve energy-efficiency, save costs, and facilitate the transition to a greener energy system. The benefits will be felt across the chain from users to businesses to operators to utility networks – and to the planet too.
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