Plugging In: A Stakeholder Investment Guide for Public 

Electric-Vehicle Charging Infrastructure

James W. May and Matt Mattila

Rocky Mountain Institute

July 2009

1

Illustration by Mike Simpson
Table of Contents

Executive Summary: A Look at Charging Station Investment 3

List of Terms and Definitions 4

Summary of Costs and Benefits of Charging Stations 6

Analyzing Scenarios Using the Investment Tool 12

Exploration of Other Stakeholder Discussions 14

Concluding Thoughts 15

Appendix A: Menu of Hardware Options 17

Appendix B: Assumptions for Investment Tool Runs 21

Appendix C: Federal and State Incentives for Charge Station Investment 22

Contact Information 26

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Plugging In: A Stakeholder Investment Guide for Public Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure

is a Rocky Mountain Institute Initiative: move.rmi.org

For more information, please contact Matt Mattila at mmattila@rmi.org.
Executive Summary: A Look at Charging Station Investment

Transportation accounts for a quarter of green house gas emissions, one third of household 

spending, and a third of the fossil fuel consumption in the US. Major changes to the transportation 

sector are overdue and could have positive impacts on our economy, security, health, and natural 

environment if we make the right choices. Vehicle electrification is one way to reduce petroleum use 

and has gained significant momentum as of late. With support from federal and local incentives as 

well as huge investments from automakers, plug-in electric vehicles are a near term reality. The 

successful penetration of plug-in vehicles depends greatly on the thorough build-out of both 

residential and public charging infrastructure.1 Certain local businesses, municipalities, and other 

local players can benefit from the prudent investment in charging infrastructure. This paper 

describes key benefits of constructing charging infrastructure, situations in which such construction 

proves a prudent investment, and situations in which it does not.

Plugging In: A Stakeholder Investment Guide for Public Electric-Vehicle Charging Infrastructure is designed to 

inform potential investors about the costs, revenues, and benefits of charging infrastructure. It 

presents some overarching conclusions while the accompanying model allows investors to examine 

the likely costs, revenues, and benefits for their specific investment scenario. While we applaud 

groups who install charging stations out of good will, this guide is for those stakeholders who want 

to understand the business case for infrastructure build-out. This report puts forward a business 

analysis and pathway to profitability for plug-in vehicle charging station investment. For more 

information on the environmental and community-based benefits that vehicle electrification offers, 

please see see RMI’s Project Get Ready work at http://projectgetready.com, which specifically helps 

communities prepare for vehicle electrification.

To estimate the return on investment stakeholders can expect when investing in charging station 

infrastructure, RMI created a user-friendly investment tool. Individuals can enter unique stakeholder 

information, and the tool will then estimate future cash flows. This paper discusses and analyzes the 

results generated by this investment tool for general scenarios. Interested stakeholders can use the 

tool to explore the results of various investments for their personalized scenarios.

The tool allows the users to determine which key inputs drive charging infrastructure profitability. A 

few factors stand out as particularly critical to a successful investment. Stakeholders should 

investigate thoroughly hardware installation costs, as these can vary considerably depending on the 

chosen installation site. Installations costs and time vary greatly depending on existing infrastructure 

and available conduit. For example, a hardware installation with adequate existing conduit should be 

relatively inexpensive as opposed to a job that includes upgrades to the electrical system, destruction 

of sidewalks or walls, and large distances to existing conduit. For this reason, investors may decide 

to include charging infrastructure build-out in planned construction or retrofit projects. Hardware 

choice is also critical, especially if the investor hopes to track users and charge a fee to help offset 

initial capital costs. Federal, state, and local incentives, sometimes offsetting half of the hardware 

costs, reduce the burden of initial capital costs, and may also lower operating costs (for example, 

some incentives provide discounted electricity rates). These factors alone can affect costs by 

thousands of dollars, making the different between a loss and profitable investment.

The profitability of charging station investment will be heavily dependent upon the penetration of 

electric vehicles within the next decade. However, this penetration remains an unknown variable. 

Automotive companies are lining up to introduce 2010 and 2011 model year plug-in electric vehicles 

(PEVs) to the U.S.. The success of these vehicles will depend on a multitude of interdependent 

factors such as the strength of the economy, the price of gasoline, the continuation of federal and 

state subsidies, consumer education, the possible emergence of breakthroughs in internal 

3

1 “Federal Energy and Fleet Management,” GAO Report to Congressional Requesters, June 2009.
combustion engine technology and platform efficiency, and the existence of public and residential 

charging infrastructure. Every major automaker is planning to release a PEV in the next few years 

and the current administration established a goal of one million plug-in vehicles on the road by 

2015. However, neither this nor building charging infrastructure guarantee widespread consumer 

adoption, but they will help relieve range anxiety and build interest in plug-in electric vehicles.

List of Terms and Definitions

Alternative Fuel Vehicle (AFV): Alternative fuel vehicles may run on compressed natural gas 

(CNG), liquified natural gas (LNG), liquified petroleum gas (LPG), propane, methanol, ethanol, or 

electricity. Vehicles running on other fuels that meet or exceed federal clean air standards may also 

be classified as AFVs.

Charging Station: Charging stations are any installed physical infrastructure that can charge electric 

vehicles. They may or may not include communications capabilities and can supply various charging 

levels. 

Electric Vehicle (EV): An electric vehicle operates only on battery-stored power; there is no 

internal combustion engine drive or hybrid mode possible (e.g., Tesla Roadster). Electric motors are 

more efficient that internal combustion engines - helping them to create fewer greenhouse gases 

than an ICE-powered vehicle, even when a plug-in vehicle is charged from fossil-fuel based 

electricity. 

Hybrid-Electric Vehicle (HEV): A vehicle whose wheels are driven by either an electric motor 

with ICE (or fuel cell) backup to charge the battery (series design) or by either an electric motor or 

an ICE directly (parallel design) (e.g., Chevy Volt).

Internal Combustion Engine (ICE): Internal combustion engines are conventionally powered by 

gasoline or diesel fuel, but can also run on blends of biofuels, such as corn-based ethanol or 

biodiesel. 

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Certification (LEED): LEED is a green 

building rating system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to provide a suite of 

standards for environmentally sustainable construction and operation.

Level (for charging): Levels refer to the electrical charging connection. The average household 

outlet is called Level I and provides 120 volts (V). PHEVs require overnight charging and a full BEV 

will take over twelve hours to recharge. Level II charging is equivalent to an appliance plug that 

many households already have (as for a clothes washer) and provides 240 V. At this level PHEVs 

will charge in about 3 hours and BEVs with large batteries can easily charge overnight. Level III 

chargers allow for very fast charging, but require more extensive infrastructure and have additional 

impacts on the electric power grid. 

Neighborhood Electric Vehicle (NEV): This U.S. Department of Transportation classification 

refers to speed-limited (or “low-speed”) and street-legal battery electric vehicles. These vehicles must 

have a gross weight of less than 3,000 lbs and a top speed of 25 miles per hour. Due to their low 

speeds, they are not subject to crash-test requirements.

Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV): A HEV whose batteries can be charged through 

external infrastructure, i.e., by “plugging” them in.

Plug-in vehicle (PEV): Any vehicle which can recharge its batteries via an external electricity 

source, including PHEVs and EVs.

Range Anxiety: Concern of limited driving distance on one charge of battery electric vehicles.

Stakeholder: Any party interested in potentially investing in electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

4
Vehicle-Miles Travelled (VMT): A commonly used indication of how much motorists are using 

their cars. VMT is typically presented as the average number of miles travelled per registered vehicle.

Guiding Stakeholder Investment in Public Electric Charging Infrastructure

The Promise of Electrified Vehicles

In the near future we could see a world that has beaten its addiction to fossil fuels, whose carbon 

emissions created by the transportation and electricity sectors are decreasing in absolute terms, and 

where vehicles run on quiet electric- and hybrid-drive systems powered by clean energy. This is the 

promise of plug-in vehicles, a keystone to transitioning to a greener economy. These vehicles can be 

new or converted conventional hybrid vehicles, and they run wholly or partially on electricity. They 

have the potential to reduce operating costs, air pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions, and 

dependence on fossil fuels. Drivers need never pump gas again. In fact, their cars refuel while they 

sleep. In this future, electric vehicles can help enable renewable energy generation and actually 

become cleaner as they age.2

Early models are already hitting roads in the U.S., including both factory-made and converted 

vehicles. Tens of thousands of factory-made plug-ins are expected to be available in the U.S. in the 

next few years. Public charging infrastructure will play an important role in encouraging plug-in 

vehicle adoption.

Which Comes First: the Electric Vehicle or the Electric Charging Station?

Stakeholders are understandably hesitant to build charging stations before it is clear that there will be 

strong demand for plug-in vehicles. Of course, demand for plug-in vehicles depends in large part on 

available charging infrastructure being in place before the vehicles are purchased. Research on driving 

habits indicates that most plug-in vehicle owners will do the bulk of their electric charging at home, 

perhaps overnight.3 However, widespread public charging infrastructure (including infrastructure in 

workplace or retail parking spaces) will help facilitate the penetration of plug-in vehicles and help 

address consumer “range anxiety.” Strategically placed charging infrastructure will help build electric 

vehicle demand by:

1. Allowing plug-in drivers to operate reduced-range 

electric vehicles, which require smaller battery packs, 

thus decreasing the weight and costs of vehicles 

and increasing their efficiency, 

2. Increasing the visibility of PEVs, making 

them more appealing to a general public 

concerned about finding a convenient place to 

charge, while decreasing range-anxiety,

3. Supporting plug-in vehicle ownership for 

those who may not have a dedicated parking 

space or private garage at home, and

4. Facilitating the adoption of other electric 

power transportation technologies, 

including those already commerciallyavailable, such as neighborhood electric 

vehicles (NEVs), bikes, motorcycles, and 

5

2 “Environmental Assessment of Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles,” EPRI/NRDC, June 2007.

3 “Driving the Solution: The Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle.” EPRI Journal, Fall 2005.

Public

 

Residential

Workplace 

 or Retail

Source: Electric Power Research Institute
scooters.

Building an Investment Modeling Tool to Generate Real Cash Flow Scenarios

Further complicating the build-out of charging infrastructure is the lack of a clear financial model 

outlining the costs and revenues associated with infrastructure investments.

RMI created a user-friendly investment tool to evaluate the business case for investments in charging 

station infrastructure. Investors can enter cost and benefit information into the tool, as well as 

baseline data for each unique stakeholder. Using these inputs and a set 

of researched assumptions, the tool then maps likely future cash flows. 

This paper discusses and analyzes the general results created by the 

investment tool. Interested stakeholders can use the tool to explore the 

results of various investment scenarios. For information on 

downloading the investment tool as well as a companion document 

with instructions for using the tool, please see http://

projectgetready.com/category/resources. For more information, 

please contact Matt Mattila at mmattila@rmi.org. 

This Report Offers a Path Forward for Stakeholders to Invest in 

Charging Stations 

Over the past several months, RMI has worked with industry leaders to 

catalog the costs and benefits of installing charging infrastructure in 

public places. This paper outlines the business case for charging 

stations, and evaluates strategic ways for various stakeholders to 

optimize infrastructure investments. Key stakeholders include: 

 • Parking garages and office parks where plug-in drivers park at 

 work, 

 • Retail facilities where plug-in drivers spend time shopping,

 • Municipalities and local governments, which have an interest in 

 serving the plug-in driving public, and,

 • Electric utilities, which provide the needed power (and

 potentially infrastructure) for vehicle electrification. 

This report is not a step-by-step checklist; different stakeholders 

require different approaches. Rather, this document begins a discussion, 

one that will evolve as we learn more about financial costs, revenues, 

and risks from our partners. In this paper and its accompanying 

investment tool, RMI estimates the costs and revenues for each actor 

based on various assumptions (for more information on assumptions, 

see Appendix A). Where RMI could not make estimates, sensitivity 

analyses were used to determine reasonable size and type of 

investments

 

Summary of Costs and Benefits of Charging Stations

The costs and benefits considered for this investment guide include:

6

Thank you to the 

following participating 

contributors:

RMI interviewed these 

industry leaders for this 

project. The companies 

and organizations shown 

above contributed to our 

ongoing research, but do 

not necessarily endorse the 

findings of this report.
Costs of Installing Charging Stations

Category: Hardware Equipment

Key Considerations: Communications, charge-level, consumer interface, revenue generation

Costs: $500–7,000

Hardware options range from the ”basic” option— (where an electrician installs weatherproof cable 

and an electric meter to create a basic charging station)—to pre-built charging station networks 

(which communicate with and are remotely controlled by a central monitoring station). The former 

scenario offers limited capabilities, but also the lowest cost—as little as $500 (including professional 

installation) per station, assuming that an appropriate electrical connection exists. The second 

scenario can cost significantly more (up to $7,000 per charging station), but can include the 

capability to remotely collect and communicate electricity usage (smart metering) and customer 

information (including charging information, creating a revenue stream for the hardware owner). 

Investors should consider their communications, billing, and security when considering and 

comparing hardware options.

Takeaway point: Basic charging infrastructure is low-cost, but research suggests that most investors 

choose to hire a third party for their infrastructure needs. 

Category: Hardware Installation and Maintenance

Key Considerations: Installation time can vary from 3 to 4 hours (if the appropriate conduit already exists) 

to several days of work (if laying new conduit with demolition/construction is necessary). Consult an electrician 

before investing.

Hourly Electrician Costs: $55–100 per hour, vary by region

Charging station installation costs vary significantly depending on construction requirements, the 

availability of appropriate electric infrastructure, construction permitting regulations, and land 

costs..4

 Based on labor, construction, and permitting cost estimates from electricians, as well as 

estimates from hardware providers and charging station installers, our investment tool calculates 

installation costs for the hardware chosen by the user. The cost of charging station installation also 

differs by location. In some locations installation could exceed the cost of the original hardware. 

Items including panel upgrades, transformer upgrades, hand digging, and laying new conduit will 

add substantial installation costs to infrastructure installation.

Takeaway point: Hardware installation cost may be the the most uncertain element of charging 

station investment. Interested investors should research installation costs when they first begin 

considering investment. 

 

7

4 Electrical information is from a series of phone interviews conducted with Boulder, CO area electricians in 

June 2009.
Category: Electricity

Key Considerations: Charge level impacts costs, time-of-use pricing from utility could increase costs of daytime 

charging, overall electricity costs not as critical to bottom line as hardware and installation costs

Electricity rates: 11.2 cents/kWh national 2009 average

Charging stations come equipped to handle different levels of charge, and the charge level chosen 

will affect electricity costs. Level I chargers deliver 120 volts at 15 amps, for a battery charge of 1.8 

kW, while Level II chargers deliver a charge of 240 volts at 30 amps, for a battery charge of 7.2 kW.5

Charging station costs will also depend upon location. Parking garage and residential charging units, 

for example, will likely charge vehicles for several uninterrupted hours during both peak and offpeak hours, whereas retail facility stations may charge multiple vehicles for a much shorter time 

during daytime (including peak) hours. Thus, consumers’ somewhat unpredictable charging time and 

duration will influence hardware owners’ electricity costs. Please see Figure 1 below for an 

explanation of how transactions between third-party service providers, owners of charging 

infrastructure, and plug-in driving consumers could be structured.

Takeaway point: Electricity costs depend upon consumer behavior and plug-in penetration, but, in 

general, electricity costs are lower than hardware and installation costs.

Plug-in 

Driver

Hardware owner Utility 3rd party hardware 

and service provider

Costs: Subscription/

charging fee

Benefits: Range, 

convenience

Costs: Network, 

hardware, real estate

Benefits: Subscription 

and hardware revenue

Costs: Hardware, installation, 

maintenance, electricity

Benefits: Fee collection from 

drivers/service providers

Costs: Electricity 

production

Benefits: Electricity sales, 

potential future grid services

Money flow

Subscription 

revenue

Hardware 

purchase

Figure 1: A visual diagram of third-party charging hardware and services, including direct monetary costs 

and revenues and assuming smart charging infrastructure. Motorists pay a charging (or subscription) fee to 

the service provider (or possibly the hardware owner directly), who passes on the majority of these fees to 

the hardware owner to help offset equipment, installation, maintenance, and electricity costs. Hardware and 

service providers profit from hardware sales and subscription fees. Utilities’ ability to profit from increased 

electricity sales depends on the degree to which their revenues and profits are decoupled. 

8

5 Level I and II charging parameters vary depending on the hardware manufacturer. Level III chargers are 

even stronger, but have more electric grid impacts, and are not likely to be necessary for most charging 

applications. Electricity costs are from EIA. www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epm/table5_3.html
Benefits of Building Charging Stations

Some benefits of installing charging stations are transparent, or at least somewhat predictable, such 

as user charging fees (for some charging station models), advertising revenue, and the value of 

avoided carbon emissions. Other benefits are more difficult to conceptualize and calculate. Our 

investment tool allows the user to enter values for some or all of these less tangible benefits so that 

the user can explore what these values would need to be in order for the chosen hardware to break 

even or become profitable. Benefits of charging stations include:

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Figure 2: The size ranges of various expected costs and benefits of installing one charging station and 

operating it for ten years. See Appendix A for more details on these estimated values.

Customer Attraction & Retention: Several large retailers have identified charging stations’ primary 

value, outside of benefitting the environment, as deriving from the increased customer throughput 

that they could provide. Specifically, retailers have expressed interest in forming relationships with 

customers they may not currently be reaching. While it is difficult to estimate how many new 

customers charging stations would help attract, large retailers are well-prepared to calculate the 

corresponding value added to their businesses once this value has been established. Recent research 

suggests that 57 percent of consumers feel that it is important to purchase products with 

environmental benefits, even in a tough economy, and 51 percent are willing to pay more for them. 

More than 25 percent of consumers strongly agree that it is important to avoid purchases from 

companies that they disagree with.6 These consumer beliefs may help attract new consumers to 

retailers that provide electric charging stations.

Takeaway point: Retail facilities should explore the potential value of attracting more customers 

versus the cost of installing and maintaing a charging station.

User Charging Fees: Hardware owners may choose to charge plug-in drivers a charging fee. 

However, interviews with stakeholders reveal that some hardware investors are more interested in 

9

6 2009 BBMG Conscious Consumer Report.
offering charging services to plug-in drivers at no charge. Those hardware installers that wish to 

draw monthly revenue can install more technologically advanced charging stations with built-in 

revenue generating functionality. The monthly revenue generated would depend on the frequency 

and duration of charges. Our investment tool assumes that the “do-it-yourself ” charging hardware is 

not capable of revenue generation. However, installation scenarios that use third-party hardware can 

include revenue generation capabilities if the hardware design accommodates it. Some stakeholders 

suggested billing customers for premium parking spots.

Takeaway point: RMI research indicates that while third-party hardware (with revenue raising 

capability) is a popular choice among charging station owners, many of these owners are not staking 

the success of their stations upon charging-revenue generation. 

Employee Attraction & Retention: Office parking lot owners, and perhaps some retail facilities, 

can benefit from installing charging stations due to the services that they offer to current and 

potential employees. Preliminary research shows that plug-in owners would prefer to charge their 

vehicles more than once per day, making the workplace an obvious choice for daytime charging. 

Charging stations therefore offer real financial benefits to employers who can then retain and 

perhaps attract employees who drive plug-ins (or would like to drive plug-ins). Even for employees 

who don’t drive plug-ins, research suggests that almost 50 percent of Americans feel that it is at least 

“very important” that employers are environmentally responsible.7

Takeaway point: Charging stations may be able to attract and retain employees, and many 

companies view this as a key potential benefit of these stations. 

Corporate Branding Opportunities: Interviews with key retailers suggests stakeholders are not 

planning to pursue branding opportunities directly, but they acknowledge the public is aware of their 

investments in “green” technologies. Charging station installation represents a real opportunity for 

retail facilities with adjacent parking to hasten the penetration of plug-in vehicles. While several 

retailers commented that good corporate public relations has benefits, they generally chose not to 

account for this when deciding whether or not to invest in charging stations. Nevertheless, the 

investment tool allows users to include the value of corporate branding as a benefit in the tool’s 

calculations. 

Takeaway point: The potential branding benefits of charging stations could be substantial, should a 

stakeholder choose to account for them. 

Government Funding & Incentives8

: A federal tax credit offers up to 50 percent of infrastructure 

and installation costs, not to exceed $50,000, for charging station equipment that goes into service 

after January 1, 2009. Furthermore, this credit is available by site, so that an interested investor can 

elect to take advantage of multiple $50,000 credits. This credit, as written, expires on December 31, 

2010. In addition to generous federal incentives, state incentives may apply, and several states have 

state-wide incentive programs that can be used in addition to federal incentives. Other locations have 

city, county, and regional incentives. Please see Appendix B for a more detailed description of 

federal and state incentives (including links for more information), and check with your city and state 

transportation departments to see if you may be eligible for additional incentives.

Takeaway point: Government funding and incentives can significantly reduce the capital and/or 

operating costs of charging stations. Stakeholders should investigate for which incentives they may 

qualify early in the process, particularly since many incentives are set to expire soon. 

10

7 2009 BBMG Conscious Consumer Report.

8 While not really considered benefits of the stations themselves, state and federal incentives greatly increase 

the potential profitability of charging station investment, so they are included in the discussion about benefits.
Fleet Cost Savings: Companies may be interested in installing charging stations for their own fleets. 

This on-site charging capability can help these firms reduce fuel costs, which can in turn help offset 

the capital costs of acquiring plug-in vehicles. Estimates suggest that the cost of driving a gasolinepowered car is $0.14/mile, while for an EV it’s $0.03/mile.9

Takeaway point: Charging station infrastructure build-out can support both internal and/or public 

vehicle electrification efforts.

Advertising & Customer Information Opportunities: Every plug-in is a potential advertising 

impression. Charging stations can provide digital advertising space and marketing opportunities for 

the hardware owner. Given the customer information available and the time plug-in drivers spend 

interacting with stations, this could be an effective advertising medium and offer significant value to

stakeholders, particularly retailers. Charging station digital advertising could join one of the fastest 

growing segments in advertising: digital out-of-home advertising. The US digital OOH market 

tripled in size from 2002 to 2008 to $2.43 billion, comprising 29.1% of overall out-of-home ad 

spend.10

Takeaway point: Charging stations could generate significant advertising revenue for hardware 

owners.

Contributions to LEED Certification: According to LEED guidelines, charging station 

installation counts for one credit, called the LEED-NC Sustainable Sites Credit 4.3 for Alternative 

Transportation: Low Emission & Fuel-Efficient Vehicles. Research indicates that facilities that invest 

in LEED certification profit from it.11 

Takeaway point: Charging stations add value by contributing to LEED certification credits, which 

offers real value to stakeholders investing in certification.

Value of Avoided Carbon Emissions: The U.S. will likely adopt a carbon accounting system in the 

future, but it is uncertain when that will occur and what carbon will be worth to different 

stakeholders. Our investment tool calculates carbon saved (in tons) and allows charging station 

hardware investors to include the revenue from the value of offset carbon emissions. The default 

carbon price is zero, but tool-users can input a price of their choice. Interestingly, the future 

profitability of charging stations is not particularly sensitive to the price of carbon. Please see 

Appendix A for technical information concerning carbon accounting in the investment tool.

Takeaway point: The profitability of charging stations is not particularly sensitive to carbon price, 

but may become more so as carbon pricing becomes a reality. 

Public Health Benefits: Reductions of tailpipe criteria air pollutants due to vehicle electrification 

are a public benefit. As municipality/government stakeholders are uniquely positioned to represent 

public interests these are the only stakeholders for which the model quantifies public health benefits. 

Takeaway point: Municipalities may use taxpayer money to build public charging stations, and 

therefore are the best stakeholders to consider air quality-related public health benefits as a real 

benefit of their investments. 

Increased Energy Independence: Vehicle electrification will likely prompt a greater reliance on 

domestic fuel sources (renewable or otherwise), and reduce our dependence on foreign oil sources. 

This transition will reduce our exposure and vulnerability to volatile energy prices, and it will 

11

9 Assuming a gas price of $2.50/gallon and electricity price of $0.09/kWh. DOE estimate: 

www1.eere.energy.gov/vehiclesandfuels/avta/light_duty/fsev/fsev_gas_elec2.html

10 Global Digital Out-of-Home Media Forecast 2008-2012, PQ Media Company

11 “Green Building Costs and Financial Benefits,” Gregory Kats, Capital E. www.cap-e.com/ewebeditpro/

items/O59F3481.pdf
increase investment in domestic industries (and jobs). These benefits are difficult to quantify, and, in 

the investment tool, only municipality/government stakeholders can reap them. 

Takeaway point: Increasing energy independence via vehicle electrification can help reduce oil 

imports, strengthen investment in domestic energy resources and jobs, lower national defense 

spending, and mitigate national security risks.

Analyzing Scenarios Using the Investment Tool

RMI’s investment tool helps forecast future cash flows of various user-selected charging 

infrastructure build-out scenarios. Model users can choose from pull-down menus or fill in values 

for the following variables:

• Stakeholder type: retailers, parking garages, office parks, utilities, homeowners associations, 

and municipalities

• Build-out scenario: self build-out or contract with third parties, such as Coulomb, 

Shorepower, eTec (Minit-Charger), Avcon, and Brusa

• Measures affecting investment: annual hardware maintenance cost, hourly charging fees, 

discount and inflation rates, federal and state incentives, price of offset carbon, charging time 

per user, number of Level I and II units to be built, and expected users per day per charging 

station

• Value of expected benefits: customer attraction/retention, employee attraction/retention, 

corporate branding, fleet cost savings, advertising opportunities, LEED certification 

contributions, public health benefits, and increased energy independence

While investment tool users can select their own inputs, this section of the report presents the 

results of one relatively conservative series of investment choices. Following the presentation and 

discussion of model outputs is a brief explanation for how these results can vary depending on 

stakeholders’ choices.

Investment Tool Output from Representative Stakeholder: Retailers Business Case

Our research and interviews with retailers indicate that in addition to potential charging fee 

revenues, retailers are especially interested in expanding and diversifying their customer base. If the 

presence of vehicle chargers could increase a store’s traffic, retailers might be willing to make 

infrastructure investments, and even offer free charging to plug-in users as a strategic loss-leader. 

Retailers are also likely to benefit from the corporate branding opportunities of green investments, 

and, perhaps, from cost savings due to their ability to charge electric fleet vehicles, as well as the 

charging stations’ contribution towards LEED certification for buildings. For the purpose of this 

demonstration, the only revenue-positive factor considered is charging fee revenue. All other 

benefits are set to $0 but should be included by users of the investment tool for sensitivity analysis.

Costs incurred by the retailers and entered into the investment tool include hardware purchase and 

installation costs for both Level I and II chargers, annual maintenance costs for each installed unit, 

and electricity costs for all installed units. The costs of all of the above increase annually by an 

inflation rate, and are discounted to 2009 using a discount rate.

In the conservative scenario presented here, we assume that this particular retailer chooses to build 

one Level 1 station in 2009 and one Level II station in 2011. The model includes the defaults of: a 

10 percent discount rate, a 3 percent rate of inflation, a 50 percent federal subsidy for hardware and 

installation, no additional state incentives, an average user charging time of one hour, and no price 

for offset carbon emissions. In addition, the model assumes the following number of expected users 

per day per charging station:

12
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

1 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 6 6

Figure 3: These numbers reflect an estimation by RMI. A more thorough forecast would require estimated 

ranges of future plug-in vehicle and charging station penetration, consumer subscription fees, average vehiclemiles traveled (VMT), as well as an evaluation of public vs. residential charging frequency. 

The following graphs outline the net costs to a retailer of a feasible build-out and the ongoing 

operation of charging stations for ten years. The graphs map out the annual and cumulative cash 

flows of three building scenarios, discounted to 2009 USD:

1. The retailer builds its own infrastructure at the lowest possible cost (orange)

• Annual maintenance cost per unit is assumed to be $25

• Charging station users are not charged hourly charging fees

2. The retailer contracts with a third party to build the infrastructure (blue)

• Annual maintenance cost per unit is assumed to be $50

• Hourly charging revenue for Level I chargers is assumed to be $0.75

• Hourly charging revenue for Level II chargers is assumed to be $1.00

3. The retailer contracts with a third party to build the infrastructure (green)12

• Annual maintenance cost per unit is assumed to be $50

• Charging station users are not charged hourly charging fees

Figure 4: Annual cash flow, in 2009 USD, over ten years for retailers building and operating charging stations. 

This figure does not include any revenue benefits with the exception of charing fees.

As seen above, annual net costs for Scenarios 1 and 3 remain negative for the duration, whereas 

annual costs become positive in 2012 for Scenario 2, which charges customers for station use. Note 

the differences in costs do not reflect brand selection as much as the difference between charging 

user fees or not.

13

12 Model users have the option of choosing the same third-party manufacturer for both Scenarios 2 and 3 in 

order to test the sensitivity of changing projected charging revenue.
Figure 5: Cumulative cash flow, in 2009 USD, over ten years for retailers building and operating charging 

stations. All revenue options, with the exception of user fees, are turned off.

Sensitivity of User-Defined Benefits

By year ten in Scenario 1, the retailer would need to realize benefits of their infrastructure build-out 

at a value of at least $9,000 in order for the project to break even. Once stakeholders are in a 

position to estimate unquantified benefits, such as customer attraction and employee retention, this 

investment tool will let them to determine if and when a particular investment strategy will become 

cash positive. The ability to account for these financial benefits are included in the model but 

estimating these values for each stakeholder group was beyond the scope of this project. 

Although several retailers stated charging plug-in customers a fee was not a priority, other 

stakeholders may be more receptive to charging fees. And as Figures 4 and 5 demonstrate, hourly 

charging fees of just $1 per hour (or less) can make a significant difference in future cash flow, 

especially as expected charging station use increases with greater plug-in vehicle penetration. The 

results of this investment tool run seem to illustrate the benefit of having simple and effective 

revenue-generating capabilities built-in to charging infrastructure. Many stakeholders felt the other 

benefits more than cleared this hurdle, however it is beyond the scope of this project to attempt to 

estimate the value for each stakeholder as it varies considerably for each case.

Exploration of Other Stakeholder Discussions

The results of the investment tool run described above apply only to a retailer. While the results do 

not differ drastically for the other stakeholders types, it is important to note some of the factors that 

change the perspectives of each of these other groups. Please download RMI’s investment tool from 

http://projectgetready.com/category/resources to run scenarios on any of the other stakeholder 

groups.

Parking Garages: Parking garages are in the business of making money from customers parking their 

cars, so they are likely to be interested in charging infrastructure with built-in revenue-generating 

capacity. They may also be more likely to position charging stations strategically in order to charge 

higher fees for premium parking spaces. According to interviews with electricians, parking garages 

may offer lower infrastructure installation costs for stations because garages are often already wired 

for daytime electricity use. In addition, garages’ physical infrastructure (walls, low ceilings, etc.) 

14
facilitate the easy installation of equipment and may preclude the need for expensive items such as 

charging station pedestals, protective bollards, or wiring. 

Office Parks: Office parks/employers will likely be interested in installing charging stations in order 

to offer a service to current employees, or to appeal to future employees. They are also in a position 

to benefit from corporate branding and savings associated with lowered fleet costs, should they 

decide to operate electric vehicles. In addition, these investors may be interested in the contribution 

to LEED certification that charging stations offer. Also, unlike the situation with parking garages or 

retail facilities, employees will likely plug in for several uninterrupted hours while they work. This 

would decrease user turnover and increase drivers’ time of use, perhaps allowing for more 

predictable revenue forecasts should employers elect to charge a user-fee.

Utilities: Interviews with utilities reveal a variety of approaches to investing in public charging 

infrastructure, as well as a desire to be a part of and help guide developments in this industry. Much 

of the utilities plans are driven by state PUC restrictions more than the utility’s desires. Utilities that 

are not subject to decoupling requirements could benefit from the additional sales of electricity that 

vehicle electrification could spur. A more developed electric vehicle market in the future may 

encourage more utilities to make infrastructure investments themselves. Some utilities are working to 

create critical peak pricing or other rate plans that would encourage off peak charging of PEVs and 

reduce the risk to the grid. Other utilities are considering bundled plans for PEV owner where 

utilities take on hardware purchase and installation, permitting, and a reduced rate plan in exchange 

for smart charging interaction with the user. In an interview with an American hardware provider, 

RMI found that European utilities are already contracting to purchase charging hardware directly 

from manufacturers for installation in public places. 

Home Owners Associations: Research shows there are 247 million cars on the road in the U.S. but 

only 53 million garages.13 Multi-family housing units thus stand as an intuitive place for charging 

infrastructure to stimulate plug-in vehicle penetration. As with the case of office parks, plug-in 

drivers are likely to charge for long periods, perhaps overnight. This long charging time may allow 

homeowners’ associations (HOAs) to invest in cheaper Level I infrastructure, as fast chargers may 

not be required. However, given that not all residents would benefit from electric charging stations, it 

remains unclear whether or not HOAs would levy assessments on residents to build infrastructure. 

Research in the Boulder, CO area suggests that developers building environmentally progressive 

multi-family communities could invest in charging stations in order to appeal to environmentally 

conscious residents and reduce the requirements for parking spaces. 

Municipalities/Government: Much of the charging station infrastructure that has already been 

installed in the U.S. in recent years has been built by city and county governments. Some charging 

stations have been designated for free charging, while other infrastructure—such as Sonoma 

County’s stations—will use a service network and charge users service fees. Municipalities differ 

from other stakeholders in that they usually cannot benefit financially from user charging fees, but 

many are looking into fees as a way to offset hardware and installation costs..

Concluding Thoughts

A few factors stand out as being particularly critical to a successful investment. Stakeholders should 

thoroughly investigate hardware installation costs, as these can vary greatly depending on site. 

Hardware choice is also critical, especially if the investor wants to generate charging fee revenues to 

offset high initial capital costs. Federal, state, and local incentives can go a long way towards 

reducing the burden of high initial capital costs, and may also serve to lower operating costs 

through incentives, such as discounted electricity rates. Some of the stakeholders we interviewed 

15

13 Presentation by Richard Lowenthal of Coulomb Technologies. University of Colorado, May 6, 2009.
were surprised at how little the electricity costs factor in to the profitability of the investment. While 

electricity costs will increase with more vehicles and longer charges, the totals are fractions of the 

cost of gasoline and are more than offset via fees.

The most crucial unknown variable that will impact the success of charging station investment is 

simply the penetration of electric vehicles in the next decade. Automotive companies are lining up 

to introduce PHEV models into the U.S. market in 2010–2011, but these are mostly low volume 

launches. The success of these vehicles will depend on a multitude of interdependent factors, such 

as the strength of the economy, the price of gasoline, the continuation of federal and state subsidies, 

and the existence of public and residential charging infrastructure. Preparing for electric vehicles 

now carries some degree of risk; the cars may never come, or they might eventually lose out to 

competing technologies, such as hydrogen fuel cells. Building charging infrastructure now cannot 

guarantee the success of plug-ins, but this information will help stakeholders analyze the profitability 

of investments in electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

16
Appendix A: Menu of Hardware Options

This menu does not sponsor any particular technology or vendor. It compiles a representative menu 

of hardware sold in (or planned for) the US market to help interested hardware investors make 

profitable decisions about building charging infrastructure. It is important to note that the following 

technologies are differentiated in more ways than just price: charging level, communications 

capabilities, security, safety features, networks, branding, business model, location tools, assembly, 

and simultaneous vehicle charging. This list does not constitute an endorsement but rather the 

information made available to RMI. The information provided is accurate, to our knowledge, as of 

August 2009. A running list of charging station providers will be available at 

www.projectgetready.com .

Avcon Corporation 

Avcon manufactures conductive connectors and power supply equipment for electric-powered 

vehicles. It appears that pedestals are no longer manufactured and sold by Avcon, so we assume that 

these units must be wall-mounted. Avcon currently sells just one model, the 2PF040-325. This is a 

Level II charger (240V and 32A), and cannot be used to charge at Level I, 120V and 15A. Also, it is 

only capable of charging one vehicle at a time. The price for this unit is $546.30. 

www.avconev.com

Better Place 

Better Place is exploring installing public charging stations, but at the moment they are not making 

their hardware products available to the public. Rather, Better Place’s business model is to invest in a 

network of battery-swap stations and build out vehicle charging stations themselves in order to 

increase subscriber membership for their electric-vehicle transportation services. 

www.betterplace.com

Brusa/Metric Mind 

Metric Mind Corporation is the U.S. distributor of German Brusa plug-in vehicle battery chargers. 

Chargers are either top air-cooled, side air-cooled, or water-cooled. All units below have an output 

power of 3.3kW, except for the “lite” model at 1.6kW. All prices below include the cost of a KN51U 

Mains Cable Set ($149) and KB51A Battery Cable Set ($115), as these are mandatory for any NLG5 

charger model. Other options may be required for battery chargers to be used as standalone public 

vehicle chargers. Please see the website for volume discount information. 

Model Specifications/

Information

Hardware 

Price

Comments/Additional Info

NLG511-Sx (side cooled) $3,870 Output DC voltage range: 130V–

260V (25A max)

NLG512-Sx (side cooled) $6,353 Output DC voltage range: 180V–

360V (18A max)

NLG513-Sx (side cooled) $3,870 Output DC voltage range: 260V–

520V (12.5A max)

NLG514-Sx (side cooled) $6,353 Output DC voltage range: 360V–

720V (9A max)

NLG51x-Tx (top cooled) $6,353

17
Model Specifications/

Information

Hardware 

Price

Comments/Additional Info

NLG51x-Wx (water cooled) $6,353

NLG50x-lite $2,614 Output DC voltage range: 200V–

520V (9A max)

www.metricmind.com

Coulomb Technologies 

Coulomb sells networked charging stations and provides an electric-vehicle charging service to both 

subscribers and non-subscribers. At each charging site, at least one charging station must be a 

“gateway” station that communicates, via a cellular network, with a Coulomb facility. Other charging 

stations must be situated in a line-of-sight location chain to communicate information back to a 

gateway unit. Each gateway unit adds about $1,000 to the cost of a charging station. The network 

capabilities of charging stations offer plug-in drivers the ability to locate available charging stations. 

Please see Coulomb’s website for more information about subscription services. 

Model Specifications/

Information

Hardware 

Price

Comments/Additional Info

CT1000 Level I charger (120V, 

12A)

$2,500 Add $1,000 to one unit that needs to 

act as the “gateway” to the network

CT2000 Level I and II charger 

(208V/240V and 32A)

$3,500 Add $1,000 to one unit that needs to 

act as the “gateway” to the network

www.coulombtech.com/index.php

EV-Charge America]

EV-Charge America sells networked electric vehicle charging stations with communications 

middleware for interacting with the fully integrated vehicle-to-grid system and obtaining maximum 

information in both tri-modal, RFID, proximity and full-color, touch display screen modes. Access 

and activation to the charging station system can be completed through the drivers’ cell phones and 

proximity cards. EVCA also integrates graphics interfaced charging stations into their Solar PV 

carports, both on-grid and off. Charging units are both Level I and Level II and can simultaneously 

charge up to 4 vehicles at one time.

Model Specifications/Information Hardware 

Price

Comments/Additional Info

EV2001 Level I and Level II up to 240V, 

120A. Retractable, secure cables 

standard. Can charge up to 4 

vehicles simultaneously – Ground 

Mount

$1,500 Tri-modal RFID, Touchless 

Proximity, Cell Phone activation 

via WiFi all standard. Full Color 

Touch Screen Display user 

interface optional.

18
Model Specifications/Information Hardware 

Price

Comments/Additional Info

EV2002 Level I and Level II up to 240V, 

120A. Retractable, secure cables 

standard. Up to 4 vehicles 

simultaneously – Pole Mount

$1,200 Tri-modal RFID, Touchless 

Proximity, Cell Phone activation 

via WiFi all standard. Full Color 

Touch Screen Display user 

interface optional.

EV2003 Level I and Level II up to 240V, 

120A. Retractable, secure cables 

standard. Up to 4 vehicles 

simultaneously – Wall Mount

$1,300 Tri-modal RFID, Touchless 

Proximity, Cell Phone activation 

via WiFi all standard. Full Color 

Touch Screen Display user 

interface optional.

www.EV-ChargeAmerica.com

GoSmart Technologies

GoSmart plans to sell smart charging stations with the ability to interface with a variety of 

communication systems including wireless internet, ethernet, and RFID verification. Given this 

customization, vehicle owners have the ability to determine length and cost of charge. Consumers 

can use a credit card or sign up for a membership. GoSmart also claims to be smart grid ready with 

two way metering and software provided by Gridpoint.

Model Specifications/

Information

Hardware 

Price

Comments/Additional Info

ChargeSpot Level II (up to 16.8kw) $2,200-

$3,800

Three different applications 

depending on configuration requested

www.gosmarttechnologies.com

Minit-Charger

Minit-Charger, made by eTec, offers Level I and II charging stations for plug-in electric vehicles. 

Their Level I chargers are manufactured by Delta-Q Technologies and they are designed mainly for 

neighborhood electric vehicles and electric carts. eTec’s Level II chargers are for plug-in vehicle 

charging in public places and come complete as pre-assembled units. They offer ADA compatibility, 

an access control system to support charging fees, remote data acquisition to facilitate the gathering 

of marketing data from chargers, as well as an equipment option that allows them to charge two 

vehicles simultaneously. Please see the table below for information about eTec’s Level II chargers, 

and check the website for more information about Level I equipment.

Model Specifications/

Information

Hardware 

Price

Comments/Additional Info

EVI DS-200-DL 

Charging Station

240v 60A, wall-mount 

(pedestal optional)

$2,800 Capable of charging two vehicles 

simultaneously

19
Model Specifications/

Information

Hardware 

Price

Comments/Additional Info

EVI DS-50 

Charging Station

240v 30A, wall-mount 

(pedestal optional)

$1,450 Generally only for residential and 

fleet operations

EVI DS-100 

Charging Station

240V 24A, wall-mount 

(pedestal optional)

$1,800 Functionally identical to the 

DS-50, but packaged for public use

Pedestal Mounting 

Plate, Type B, EVI 

DS-50

Accessory required for 

pedestal mounting.

$150 Pedestal mount accessory. Can 

mount two chargers back to back.

EVI Dual Mount 

Pedestal Supports

Accessory required to 

complement pedestal for 

dual mounting

$140

EVI 7' Pedestal 

with Cable 

Retraction

Accessory includes 

pedestal, cable retraction, 

space for signage

$1,400 A deluxe, streamlined package for 

a stylized, professional look

www.minit-charger.com/other/chargers

Shorepower Technologies/SynkroMotive 

Shorepower’s original business was supplying plug-in power sources at truck stops so truckers could 

rely less on fuel-consuming and smog-producing diesel engines to run their onboard “hotel” loads. 

They joined forces with SynkroMotive to provide hardware for passenger electric vehicle charging. 

These two companies jointly offer a pedestal charging system and wall units. Both models are 

offered as Level I chargers (120V and 12A) and have the capability to charge four vehicles 

simultaneously. Both models can be upgraded to Level II (208V or 240V), making them capable of 

charging two vehicles simultaneously. All units have remote on/off controls, a payment and control 

system, and a controller to monitor energy and time of use.

Model Specifications/

Information

Hardware 

Price

Comments/Additional Info

Pedestal Charging 

System

120V and 20A $2,900 For a visibility enhancing illuminated 

globe, add $600

Wall Unit 120V and 20A $2,500 Purchaser is responsible for wallmounting

www.synkromotive.com www.shorepower.com

“Self ” Installation of Charging Station Infrastructure

Another hardware option is for interested investors to bypass pre-constructed options from thirdparty providers and instead build simple charging stations themselves. A series of estimates from 

Boulder-area electricians reveal that the necessary materials (weatherproof cable, electric meter, etc.) 

can be purchased and installed (by a professional electrician) for as little as $300–500, including 

permitting costs. Electricians were quick to point out, however, that installation costs for all 

hardware options could vary significantly depending on:

20
1. Availability of an appropriate power source: A retail facility parking lot may be already equipped with 

pole lighting, but this power may be only switched on at night, presumably not when plug-in 

drivers will be parking.

2. Installed oversized conduits already in place: Many public facilities that are already wired for electricity 

simply do not have the capacity in their conduits for plug-in vehicle charging. If this is the case, 

then expensive rewiring is likely necessary. In addition, some public wiring may not be designed 

for the continuous load that charging infrastructure would require.

3. Existence of physical mounting infrastructure: Installing your own charging station is, intuitively, easiest 

and least expensive when done where the physical infrastructure already exists. For example, a 

charging station installed in a parking garage with ceilings and walls (as well as daytime 

electricity) is less infrastructure- and labor-intensive than installing the same station in the middle 

of a large flat, single-level parking lot.

For the most accurate, up-to-date information on purchasing and installing your own charging 

stations, check with your local electricians, as well as the city building department (for permits). 

Building permits are often priced as a percentage of total job cost, but your municipality may offer 

reduced permitting fees for projects that install environmentally-friendly infrastructure, such as 

charging stations or renewable distributed generation capacity.

Appendix B: Assumptions for Investment Tool Runs

• Level I chargers run at 120 V and 15 A for a total charge of 1.8 kW, while level II chargers are 240 

V and 30 A for a total charge of 7.2 kW. Level III chargers are not included in the model as 

options for stakeholder investment.

• Electricity price forecasts are from the EIA’s Annual Energy Outlook 2009. Emissions data to 

calculate offset carbon (equivalent) emissions from PHEV use are from Argonne’s GREET 

model. The investment tool assumes that all PHEV use is PHEV-40 (PHEVs with a 40 mile allelectric range). 

• All installed infrastructure is assumed to remain functional over the course of the 10 year period 

forecasted in the model. It is likely that charging equipment could become technologically obsolete 

before its product lifetime ran out.

• All costs in the model, such as installation, hardware, and maintenance are increased annually by a 

measure of inflation, which is set at a default value of 3%. All future revenue streams are 

discounted to 2009 using a discount rate that is set at a default of 10%. Both inflation and 

discount rates can be modified by the tool user.

• Offset carbon emissions are measured by comparing tailpipe emissions of plug-in and 

conventional vehicles. As of now, the model does not include the added GHG emissions 

associated with increased electricity production required to power the plug-ins.

• The model assumes that charging infrastructure built in the year 2009 will only come online by the 

year 2010. Specifically, Level I and II chargers built out in 2009 in the model neither accumulate 

benefits for the builders nor incur electricity costs until 2010. From 2010 on, any stations built in a 

particular year are assumed to be installed and operational instantly on January 1 of that year.

• Some charging hardware has the capability to charge more than one car. Some of these will require 

additional hardware purchases in order to do this. This factor will only affect the model runs when 

a non-zero hourly charging fee is selected. The model conservatively assumes that all hardware 

chargers only charge one vehicle at a time. Please check with the menu of hardware options above 

to see which hardware options can charge more than one vehicle simultaneously, and what 

21
additional equipment is required to do so. For these hardware options, this model may 

underestimate revenue generation.

• Coulomb Technologies’ infrastructure requires that at least one unit at each location be a 

“gateway” unit that is in charge of cellular communication with a service center. These units cost 

about $1000 more than a standard non-Gateway model. The investment tool assumes that the cost 

of Coulomb charge stations includes a portion of this additional capital cost.

• Federal incentives in support of charge station hardware and installation is set at 50% in the 

model. Additional state incentives, where available, are assumed to be in addition to this 50% 

federal incentive.

• Avcon does not currently offer a Level I charger and Shorepower does not currently offer a Level 

II charger. Thus users should be aware when using the investment tool that no Level I chargers 

should be built-out when using Avcon products, or Level II chargers when using Shorepower 

products.

• Estimated costs and benefits from Figure 1 are as follows:

• Electricity cost range is the cost of running a Level I station for 1 hour per day (minimum) to 

the cost of running a Level II station 8 hours per day.

• Installation, station hardware, and maintenance costs come from interviews with hardware 

providers, as well as publicly available cost data.

Appendix C: Federal and State Incentives for Charge Station Investment

Federal Incentives

A tax credit is available for the cost of installing alternative fueling equipment (including plug-in 

vehicle charging infrastructure) placed into service after December 31, 2005. The credit amount is 

up to 30% of the cost, not to exceed $30,000, for equipment placed into service before January 1, 

2009. The credit amount is up to 50% not to exceed $50,000, for equipment placed into service on 

or after January 1, 2009. This credit expires for vehicle charge infrastructure on December 31, 

2010.14 For more details, see the Department of Energy’s website at http://www.afdc.energy.gov/

afdc/progs/tech_matrx.php or contact:

U.S. Internal Revenue Service

Phone (800) 829-1040

www.irs.gov

State Incentives

State incentives for alternative fuels are changing rapidly, and many more states are getting on board 

all the time. Thus, the below list should be viewed as a representative selection of state charging 

infrastructure incentives in the US. For a more detailed look at your state’s incentives, please check 

online with the US Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels & Advanced Vehicles Data Center 

(AFDC) website: www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/progs/tech_matrx.php.

15

California: While not offering a universal state-wide investment incentive, there are a number of 

local incentives in California (too many to mention here) that encourage the installation of 

infrastructure, and may also offer discounted electricity rates for plug-in charging. In addition, 

several municipalities, including San Francisco, San Jose, and Oakland, are already in the process of 

22

14 www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/progs/view_ind_mtx.php/tech/ELEC/US/0

15 Indeed, all of the state incentive information here is from this up-to-date AFDC source.
installing infrastructure in public places. For information about discounted electricity rates, contact 

your local utility or public utility commission.

Colorado: The Colorado Department of Revenue offers an income tax credit for the cost of 

purchase and installation of alternative fuel stations (including electric vehicle charging). The credit 

for tax years 2009-2011 is 20%, but is 25% if the charge station is accessible for public use, or 

primarily powered (over 70%) by renewable energy sources. The credit has a maximum value of 

$400,000 in any consecutive five-year period. For more information, please contact:

Tax Information Call Center

Colorado Department of Revenue

Phone (303) 238-7378

www.revenue.state.co.us/main/home.asp

Georgia: An income tax credit is available to any eligible business enterprise for the purchase or 

lease of each EV charger that is located in the state. The amount of the credit is 10 percent of the 

cost of the charger or $2,500, whichever is less. For more information, contact: 

James Udi: Environmental Specialist

Georgia Environmental Protection Division

Phone (404) 363-7046

james_udi@dnr.state.ga.us

Kansas: Kansas offers an income tax credit for alternative fueling stations placed in service after 

January 1, 2009. The tax credit, worth up to 40 percent of the total amount, may not exceed 

$100,000. For more information, contact: 

Ray Hammarlund: Kansas Energy Office

Phone (785) 271-3179

r.hammarlund@kcc.ks.gov

www.ksrevenue.org/taxcredits-altfuel.htm

Louisiana: The state offers an income tax credit worth 20 percent of the cost of constructing an 

alternative fueling station (including electric charge stations). For more information, contact:

Taxpayer Services Division

Louisiana Department of Revenue

Phone (225) 219-0067

Maine: The Clean Fuel Vehicle Fund is a non-lapsing revolving loan fund managed by the Finance 

Authority of Maine and may be used for direct loans to finance all or part of any clean fuel vehicle 

project. The Finance Authority of Maine may also insure up to 100% of mortgage payments with 

respect to mortgage loans for clean fuel vehicle projects.

Nebraska: The Nebraska Energy Office administers the Dollar and Energy Saving Loans Program, 

which makes low-cost loans available for a variety of alternative fuel projects, including the 

construction or purchase of a fueling station or equipment for electric vehicles. The maximum loan 

amount is $150,000 per borrower and the interest rate is 5% or less. For more information, contact:

Nebraska State Energy Office

Phone (402) 471-2867

energy@nebraska.gov

www.neo.ne.gov/loan/index.html

23
New Hampshire: The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (DES) and the 

Granite State Clean Cities Coalition (GSCCC) provide competitive funding to expand the use of 

alternative fuels, AFVs, and advanced technology vehicles in New Hampshire. Only projects located 

in the ozone non-attainment or maintenance areas in the state are eligible for funding. For more 

information see the GSCCC Web site: www.granitestatecleancities.nh.gov/

New Jersey: New Jersey’s Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Program has funding available to reimburse 

eligible local governments, state colleges and universities, school districts, and governmental 

authorities for 50 percent of the cost of purchasing and installing refueling infrastructure for 

alternative fuels (including electricity). Up to $50,000 is available per applicant. For more 

information, contact:

John Zarzycki: Project Manager

New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, Office of Clean Energy

Phone (973) 648-4967

john.zarzycki@bpu.state.nj.us

New Mexico: The Clean Energy Grants Program is administered by the Energy Conservation and 

Management Division of the New Mexico Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department 

and provides grants for projects utilizing clean energy technologies (including alternative fuel 

vehicles and fueling infrastructure) and projects providing clean energy education, technical 

assistance, and training programs. These grants are provided on a competitive basis to qualifying 

entities such as municipalities and county governments, state agencies, state universities, public 

schools, post-secondary educational institutions, and Indian nations, tribes, and pueblos.

New York: The state offers an Alternative Fueling Infrastructure Tax Credit, which is equal to 50% 

of the cost of the infrastructure. This includes infrastructure for storing or dispensing an alternative 

fuel into the fuel tank of a motor vehicle powered by that fuel as well as infrastructure used for 

recharging electric vehicles. This credit does not apply after December 31, 2010. For more 

information, contact:

Patrick Bolton: Senior Project Manager, Alternative Fuels & Vehicles

NYSERDA

Phone (518) 862-1090 x3322

ppb@nyserda.org

www.nyserda.org/programs/transportation/

Oregon: Business owners and others who invest in alternative fuel production and fueling 

infrastructure projects in Oregon may be eligible for a state tax credit of up to 50% of eligible 

project costs through the Business Energy Tax Credit Program. For more information, contact: 

Matt Hale: Clean Cities Coordinator

Columbia Willamette Clean Cities Coalition, Inc.

Phone (503) 373-7560

matt.hale@state.or.us

www.cwcleancities.org

Tennessee: FastTrack Infrastructure Development Program funds may be used for alternative 

fueling infrastructure improvements. Funds may be used in situations where there is a commitment 

24
by certain private sector businesses to locate or expand in the state and to create or retain jobs for 

Tennesseans. To see if you may be eligible for funding, contact:

Philip Trauernicht: Director, Program Management, Community Development

Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development

Phone (615) 253-1903

philip.trauernicht@state.tn.us

www.state.tn.us/ecd/progman_tiip.htm

Washington: The state has electric vehicle charging infrastructure tax exemptions, such that public 

lands used for installing, maintaining, and operating EV infrastructure are exempt from leasehold 

excise taxes until January 1, 2020. Additionally, the state sales and use taxes do not apply to EV 

batteries, labor and services for installing, repairing, altering, or improving EV batteries and EV 

infrastructure, and the sale of property on land used for EV infrastructure. For more information, 

contact:

Stephanie Meyn: Clean Cities Coordinator

Puget Sound Clean Cities Coalition

Phone (206) 689-4055

stephaniem@pscleanair.org

http://pugetsoundcleancities.org/

25
Contact Information

This project is coordinated by the Rocky Mountain Institute, a 501(c)(3) based in Colorado. 

Please visit our webiste: www.move.rmi.org

For more information, please write to Matt Mattila at mmattila@rmi.org.

26