NEW YORK – Volta Inc., an electric vehicle (EV) charging and media company, has revealed that it will utilize its proprietary infrastructure planning service, PredictEV®, to carry out an extensive EV charging needs assessment with the City of Irving, Texas. PredictEV will employ data-driven insights to determine the optimal charging infrastructure strategy based on the present and future requirements of EV drivers, including those in disadvantaged communities. The Transportation and Natural Resources Committee in Irving will use this data to create a comprehensive infrastructure plan, which will enable the city to apply for federal and state grants in the future.
The Discretionary Grant Program for Charging and Fueling Infrastructure is a federal grant program that offers $1.25 billion for community charging under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). This program could enable Irving to receive grants in the future, and the infrastructure plan generated from PredictEV will enable the city to be in an excellent position to apply. Mayor of the City of Irving, Rick Stopfer, stated, “As electric vehicles become more popular in North Texas, it’s prudent that Irving develops a comprehensive and efficient infrastructure roadmap to support them.”
PredictEV is an advanced infrastructure planning solution that analyzes disparate data sources, including local mobility, demographic, commercial, and site-specific data, to offer high-resolution responses to vital EV infrastructure questions around optimal charger quantity and locations, expected EV adoption, the right mix of charging infrastructure, and expected energy requirements from the grid. The analytical capability of PredictEV aligns with the Justice40 goal of the federal government, which is to ensure that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments, including the BIL and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), flow to disadvantaged communities.
Volta’s collaboration with Irving is a demonstration of the company’s commitment to public-private partnerships that align with the $7.5 billion in grants the federal government has allocated towards the buildout of public EV charging infrastructure. PredictEV has also 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 State of Michigan and DTE Energy. Southern Company, Southern California Edison, and Tucson Electric Power also use the tool to support and inform EV charging initiatives.
Brandt Hastings, Chief Commercial Officer at Volta, stated that “Local governments are finalizing their strategies for deploying the upcoming wave of community charging grant funding under the Discretionary Grant Program for Charging and Fueling Infrastructure. PredictEV ensures these governments have access to valuable data and create applications that fulfill federal requirements when executing their plans.” Volta’s continued work with government agencies supports its Charging For All initiative, the company’s commitment to delivering affordable, reliable, and equitable charging across the United States.
