Charge Montgomery
Montgomery County’s Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Planning Tool
Introduction
Welcome to the Charge Montgomery Story Map, Montgomery County’s electric vehicle infrastructure planning tool. The purpose of this tool is to inform the public, policymakers, and EV charging providers about installed community EV charging infrastructure, new infrastructure planned to be installed at County sites, and factors that may influence where future infrastructure will be developed, such as EV demand, demographic data, and state and federal policies. Stakeholders are invited to provide input on where and how new infrastructure should be installed. This planning tool is part of the County’s development of a Community EV Charging Plan.
Background
Montgomery County wants to help residents and businesses electrify their ride. The Climate Action Plan sets a goal for 80% emissions reductions by 2027 and 100% by 2035. Based on analysis and recommendations from the Climate Technical Group , about 30% of this goal would come from vehicle electrification. Compared to gasoline vehicles, electric vehicles (EVs) emit no carbon dioxide or other tailpipe pollution during use. EVs charged in Montgomery County on Pepco’s electric grid reduce emissions by 70-75% , which means that switching to an EV is one of the biggest ways to reduce your carbon footprint.
The EV market is growing rapidly. In 2022, over 12% of new registered vehicles in the County were full battery-electric or plug-in hybrid. The electric vehicle transition is expected to speed up, and that means we need to make sure there is enough reliable charging infrastructure in the right places so that all residents have the choice to go electric.
Types of EV Charging
Here are some quick facts about EV Charging, also called EV Supply Equipment (EVSE).
Level 1 Chargers use standard 120V outlets, which are found around the home and used by most home electronics. Level 1 charging supplies about 5 miles of range for every 1 hour of charging. Charging overnight provides 40 miles of range, which is enough for typical drivers.
Level 2 Chargers use 240V outlets and supplies about 25 miles of range for every hour of charge. This type of charging equipment is commonly found in shopping centers, public parking garages, recreational areas, apartment buildings, and many workplaces.
Level 3 Chargers, or Direct Current (DC) Fast Chargers use high-powered 480V circuits for rapid EV charging. DC Fast Chargers are only found at public charging stations and can supply 40 miles of charge in 10 minutes, or up to 80% in 30 minutes. DC Fast Chargers are used for public charging or commercial fleets and are not intended for home installation.
Maps
Racial Equity and Social Justice
The 2021 Climate Action Plan aims to address and remedy historical injustices and unfair practices and ensure that climate actions are tailored to the needs of all the County’s residents. This includes ensuring that EV charging is distributed throughout Montgomery County in an equitable manner. Local planning organizations and use a variety of equity-based metrics to evaluate locations:
Community EV Charging Plan Development
Community EV charging includes any EV Supply Equipment (EVSE) that is accessible and intended for use by the public. According to analysis from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, hundreds of additional Level 3 plugs and thousands of Level 2 plugs will be needed to meet future EV demand in Montgomery County. This infrastructure could be built at public facilities, parks and trails, multifamily buildings, urban districts, offices, retail developments, gas stations, transit centers, and public parking areas.
Montgomery County’s goals are to support the installation of new EV charging infrastructure to accelerate EV demand and ensure new infrastructure is located equitably across the County. It is also important to have community charging infrastructure that is easily accessible to residents of multifamily buildings, condominiums, townhomes, and single-family homes without off-street parking.
Charge Montgomery, the Community EV Charging Plan will identify strategies to support these goals, which may include technical assistance and additional incentives and will leverage state and federal funding where possible. County programs can help ensure that other important features are included in new infrastructure, including public safety, reliability, handicap accessibility, ease-of-payment, on-site renewable energy and battery storage, and others.
Give Input
Want to suggest a location for a charging station or provide input on the Community EV Charging Plan? Please complete this questionnaire .
For questions or additional assistance, Ask DEP .
More Maps and Resources
Interested in more geographical information to evaluate charging projects? Here are some more resources:
Explore the Map
Explore this interactive map to find the nearest installed or planned charging station and evaluate the other factors discussed in this story.
Interactive EV Charging Planning Map
