Virginia Beach Seeks Public Input on Electric Vehicle Use and Charging Infrastructure

The City is encouraging Virginia Beach residents and business owners to complete a public input survey designed to help the Department of Public Works understand the future electric vehicle (EV) charging needs within the city.

The survey is now available at publicinput.com/electricvehicle and will be open for comment through 5 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 13, 2023.

Although EVs have been available in the U.S. for more than a decade, over the course of 2022, the EV market experienced unprecedented growth. According to Automotive News, registrations for electric cars increased by 60% in the first quarter of 2022, despite the overall vehicle market being down 18%. With the federal government offering tax credits to incentivize the conversion to electric-fueled cars, automakers have been hard-pressed to keep pace with demand. Some areas with high EV adoption rates are also facing a public charging infrastructure beleaguered by insufficient stations according to an August 2022 study by J.D. Power.

As Virginia Beach looks forward and takes steps to prepare for the downstream effects of these transportation changes, the City wants to ensure that our community is prepared with the infrastructure necessary to support greater use of EVs.

To that end, Public Works has engaged a consultant, Cadmus, to conduct an EV and Charging Infrastructure Study and ultimately an EV Charging Infrastructure Plan that will serve as a roadmap to accommodate the anticipated needs of City residents, workforce members and visitors as we transition from conventionally fueled vehicles to EVs. It will include an analysis of our community's needs, opportunities and challenges. The plan will also detail strategies for low- and moderate-income neighborhoods, communities with a low ratio of private parking spaces to households, and areas with a high ratio of multiunit dwellings to single-family homes. The final report will establish a vision, goals and clearly defined roles for the City, the private sector and the Virginia Beach community to implement strategies that facilitate increased deployment of EV charging infrastructure across the City in an equitable manner.

To receive a copy of the survey either via email or the US Postal Service, contact Nancy Bloom at (757) 385-6279 or nbloom@vbgov.com. Completed surveys may be returned via email or mailed to:

Attn: Nancy Bloom
Virginia Beach Communications Office
2401 Courthouse Drive, Building 1, Suite 3054
Virginia Beach, VA 23456

# # #