Assessment of Economic Viability of Direct Current Fast Charging Infrastructure Investments for Electric Vehicles in the United States

Bernal, Daniel; Raheem, Adeeba A.; Inti, Sundeep; Wang, Hongjie

doi:10.3390/su16156701

Assessment of Economic Viability of Direct Current Fast Charging Infrastructure Investments for Electric Vehicles in the United States

Journal Article · Mon Aug 05 00:00:00 EDT 2024 · Sustainability (Basel)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.3390/su16156701· OSTI ID:2437677

^[1]; ^[2]; Inti, Sundeep ^[3]; ^[4]

National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Univ. of Texas at El Paso, TX (United States)
Illinois State University (ISU), Normal, IL (United States)
Utah State Univ., Logan, UT (United States)

As the global transportation sector increasingly adopts electric vehicles, the demand for advanced and accessible charging infrastructure is rising. In addition to at-home electric vehicle (EV) charging, there is a growing need for the swift development of commercial direct current fast charging (DCFC) stations to meet on-the-go EV charging demands. While government funds are available to support the expansion of the EV charging network in the United States, the establishment of a robust nationwide EV charging infrastructure requires significant private sector investment. This study was conducted to assess the economic feasibility of various business models for fast charging stations in the U.S. using two case studies and exploring different operational strategies including sole ownership and collaborative ventures with public and private entities. The results indicate that based on the current adoption and utilization rates in the U.S., the business model involving an owner-operator collaborating with a public partner ensures profitability and protects the investment in DCFC stations from financial losses. The study also highlights that demand charges and electricity retail prices are the factors that affect the profitability of a DCFC station.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: National Science Foundation (NSF)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308

OSTI ID:: 2437677

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA--7A40-91021; MainId:92799; UUID:e7b945b9-dcb5-48d8-a8bc-50b2e38dbad7; MainAdminId:73449

Journal Information:: Sustainability (Basel), Journal Name: Sustainability (Basel) Journal Issue: 15 Vol. 16; ISSN 2071-1050

Publisher:: MDPICopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
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Assessment of Economic Viability of Direct Current Fast Charging Infrastructure Investments for Electric Vehicles in the United States

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