This will enable PredictEV to identify EV charger locations that will maximise convenience and utilisation with more precision. The new feature further ensures infrastructure funds are efficiently and effectively spent as governments develop competitive applications for the Charging and Fuelling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program that uphold the federal government's Justice40 goal.
PredictEV is an advanced infrastructure planning solution that analyses disparate data sources, including local mobility, demographic, commercial, and site-specific data, to precisely answer questions about expected EV adoption, optimal charger locations, and the right mix of charging infrastructure. This update builds on PredictEV's recent incorporation of census tract data that identifies DACs by adding the ability to also analyse the most popular vehicular travel routes of residents from these areas.
“Combining these two datasets supports effective public EV charging infrastructure planning for disadvantaged communities, which is critical for accelerating EV adoption within these regions due to the limited availability of at-home charging,” said Brandt Hastings, chief commercial officer at Volta. “Often, the best locations to place chargers will be in highly trafficked areas within DACs. Other times, PredictEV’s travel data may reveal that constructing an EV charger at a shopping centre in an adjacent community will result in significantly higher utilisation due to the popularity and convenience of that location.”
PredictEV has been used by Alabama's Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) to develop its Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Plan, and its insights informed Volta's collaboration with the City of Irving and the State of Michigan and DTE Energy. Electric utilities, including Southern Company, Southern California Edison, and Tucson Electric Power, also use the planning tool to forecast EV charging demands on the grid.
