Majority of D.C. residents support EV charging infrastructure, EEI survey finds

A vast majority of District of Columbia residents support advancing an electric vehicle (EV) charging network in their area, according to a survey released by the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) on Tuesday.

The survey, conducted by Morning Consult, found that four out of five D.C. residents are in favor of developing an EV charging network, believing that it would have a positive impact on the District’s environment and economy. The survey also found that 45 percent of respondents believe that vehicles will be electrically powered in the future and 57 percent think vehicles in D.C. should be powered by electricity.

“This survey clearly indicates that Washingtonians have a great interest in electric vehicle adoption and strongly support advancing an EV charging network in the District,” EEI Executive Vice President of Public Policy and External Affairs Brian Wolff said.

The survey of approximately 500 adults also revealed that 61 percent of people in Washington D.C. believe EVs are practical for everyday use and 72 percent responded that an EV charging network would have positive environmental impacts.

“As demand for EVs continues to grow, local electric companies will play a critical role in making necessary investments to deploy, own, and operate charging infrastructure for the benefit of customers. Investing in EV infrastructure is a win for customers, the economy, and our environment,” Wolff said.

The District of Columbia has already expressed support for expanding fast-charging stations for EVs.

On March 29, the Electric Vehicle Public Infrastructure Expansion Act of 2017, which establishes a pilot program to place 15 publicly available charging stations in D.C. by Jan. 1, 2019, became law.

And in May, D.C. and 12 northeastern states released a set of recommendations for facilitating increased advancement in EV charging infrastructure along the northeastern corridor, which stretches from D.C. to Maine.

The initiative, which was facilitated by the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management, included recommendations for utility actions to reduce home charging costs and state incentives to support workplace charging.

Pepco, a public utility owned by Exelon Corp. and which provides electricity to customers in the district and in Maryland, proposed a program in 2017 that would incentivize Washington, D.C. residents to charge EVs during off-peak hours.

The District of Columbia currently has approximately 600 registered electric vehicles, but that number is expected to grow in the coming years.