What Are the Barriers to Workplace EV Charging?
Powering Up: What Employers Need to Know About Workplace EV Charging
This report, commissioned by Columbia Willamette Clean Cities, identifies key barriers to workplace electric vehicle charging adoption and offers practical solutions to encourage more employers to install charging stations.
As part of the EMPOWER project, a DOE-funded project led by Columbia Willamette Clean Cities (CWCC), the Cadeo team (now a part of Resource Innovations) conducted a barrier assessment regarding workplace charging adoption and proposed recommendations to overcome those barriers. This barrier report supports CWCC’s efforts to advance employer commitments for workplace charging installations.
Insufficient charging infrastructure is a well-documented deterrent to electric vehicle (EV) adoption. Nearly half of U.S. consumers state that battery range or lack of charging infrastructure are their primary concerns when deciding whether to buy an EV. Workplace charging plays an important role in closing the charging infrastructure gap. Employers who provide dedicated charging options can motivate employees who don’t have access to home charging to consider adopting EVs. Ultimately, this promotes more equitable transportation electrification.
While there are plenty of studies across transport electrification topics, workplace charging research is sparse. Thus, we supplemented the literature review with primary research interviewing diverse stakeholders across the EV workplace charging space. We interviewed subject matter experts, charging installers, and employers. The findings from our assessment cover a wide range of barriers organized by categories and importance and include a set of recommendations to address these barriers.