Dive Brief:

• Eight Western states in the midst of developing a joint electric vehicle (EV) plan have issued a request for information (RFI) focused on ensuring interoperability of DC Fast Charger (DCFC) stations along thousands of miles of roads.
• Governors of Montana, Nevada, Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, New Mexico, Colorado and Arizona last year established the Regional Electric Vehicle Plan for the West (REV West), aimed at making it possible to "seamlessly drive an EV across the western states' major transportation corridors."
• The RFI asks stakeholders to address "what factors the states should consider when developing minimum standards" for DCFC infrastructure, including distance between stations and how far off the highway those stations should be. Responses are due by Nov. 26.

Dive Insight:

States are continuing to think regionally when it comes to enabling electrified transportation, and the REV West RFI is a reminder that integrating transportation networks will require more than just putting charging stations in the right place.

The request includes 20 questions that it says will assist the REV West states with the work they are doing to "develop voluntary minimum standards related to administration, interoperability, operations, and management of publicly-available DC fast charging stations."

Questions included in the RFI range from simple to more nuanced, focused on technology integration and business viability, including:

• What is the maximum distance that should be allowed between DCFC stations on major highway corridors?
• What is the minimum number of DCFC stations or ports that should be made available at a given location?
• How may elevation changes be factored in as they differ when getting to and from a destination?
• What equipment and electrical standards should be set for DCFC stations?
• What future-proofing requirements should be considered?
• What business models exist for DCFC investments in rural or remote areas?

The RFI was released by the National Association of State Energy Officials, on behalf of the REV West states.

REV West is not the only regional effort to grow electric vehicle adoption.

In the Pacific Northwest, there is the West Coast Green Highway and the U.S. Department of Transportation has a national network of "alternative fuel" corridors spanning 35 states. In addition, earlier this year, automakers and Northeast states unveiled a campaign to highlight the benefits of electrified transportation and educate consumers.