Mountain West States Buy In on Regional EV Fast Charging Network

To support the growth and adoption of EVs on their regions’ roadways, governors of eight Mountain West states signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to work collaboratively on a regional EV fast charging network spanning across 5,000 miles of freeway. They will also work on a plan for the EV charging infrastructure to link their states together. The states that have signed on so far are Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.

Anticipating EV Population Increases

These states have recognized the growth of EV populations and anticipate EVs will continue to penetrate the markets. As discussed in our Market Data: EV Geographic Forecasts report and illustrated in the following chart, Guidehouse Insights expects sales of over 1.6 million plug-in EVs (PEVs) by 2026 in North America.

Historic and Projected Sales of PEVs, Base Scenario, North America: 2012-2026

Source: Guidehouse Insights

Pursuing Goals

The goals of the MoU are to accomplish the following:

• Coordinate station locations to maximize use and minimize inconsistency between charging infrastructure.
• Develop practices and procedures to encourage the adoption of EVs and address range anxiety.
• Develop operating standards for charging stations.
• Incorporate EV charging stations in the planning and development process.
• Encourage automotive OEMs to stock a variety of EVs in participating states.
• Collaborate on funding and finding opportunities for the network.

Direct current (DC) fast charging stations will cost between $150,000 and $200,000 each. It would require 50 to 60 stations to electrify the key travel corridors in Colorado, according to officials.

Following in Their Footsteps

Unsurprisingly, West Coast states have already tackled a similar project. In 2013, California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia signed on to the Pacific Coast Action Plan on Climate and Energy. They committed to the creation of an electrified highway corridor connecting the three states and the province. In the years since, the governments have been able to install a network of DC fast chargers along Interstate 5, Highway 99, and other major roadways dubbed the West Coast Electric Highway.

Tackling the Funding Puzzle

The Mountain West states are looking for sources of funding as they move forward with their own plans for a regional highway. While the West Coast Electric Highway project was able to capitalize on federal grants and funding to capture investments, the current administration and majority party seem less keen on assisting the adoption of EVs, meaning the Mountain West states may have to look elsewhere. Colorado has identified and is already planning on using some of the funds received from the Volkswagen settlement, Electrify America, to drive interest in public-private partnerships to develop its electrified highway infrastructure. That being said, the MoU does not specify funding requirements or timeframes for the project or any of the states.

Absent the support of the federal government, the success of this regional project rests on the political will of the state governments and continued support from elected officials, automakers, utilities, and planners.