Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and the Office of Energy in the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services released the Florida Electric Vehicle (EV) Roadmap. The Florida EV Roadmap is the first comprehensive investigation into the current status and future needs of EV charging infrastructure in Florida.

Florida is home to the third-most electric vehicles in the nation with 60,000 registered light-duty electric vehicles, and also ranks third for EV charging capacity with 3,907 Level 2 charging plugs and 844 direct current fast charges (DCFC) plugs in the state. The Roadmap includes recommended sites for charging infrastructure to meet the growing needs of the state, as well as planning recommendations on topics including permitting, emergency evacuation needs, and EV education.

“Electric vehicles are critical to reducing energy consumption, curbing greenhouse gas emissions, and creating a sustainable transportation system in Florida,” said Commissioner Nikki Fried. “As home to the state’s Office of Energy, we are committed to establishing this roadmap that will guide the development of the nation’s best, most efficient, most equitable EV network.”

“By 2030, 15–25% of all new cars sold in Florida will be electric. This will be the biggest transition we have seen in transportation in one hundred years,” said State Senator Jeff Brandes, a major advocate of electric vehicles in Florida. “The ramifications of this shift will transform the automobile industry. It will require new infrastructure investments, and it will require us to reimagine mobility in Florida. The Florida EV Roadmap will help us to identify challenges and opportunities that lie on the road ahead.”

The Florida EV Roadmap final report may be viewed here[  ]. In May 2019, the FDACS Office of Energy began working on an EV Roadmap for the state of Florida. Last year, a new state law laid further groundwork expanding Florida’s EV network, with the FDACS Office of Energy working with other state agencies for developing new EV plans.

The Florida EV Roadmap includes:

• A map of recommend emergency evacuation routes and considerations that are unique to EVs;
• A map of recommendations for infrastructure installation and growth for calendar years 2021, 2022, and 2023;
• Forecast infrastructure requirements for 2021 through 2029;
• Recommendations for EV infrastructure, emergency power, and resilience;
• A catalog of best practices for the planning of infrastructure for light duty EVs; and
• Recommendations, guidance, and best practices for future expansion of EV infrastructure

Background: The Florida EV Roadmap process was open, transparent, and built on stakeholder engagement. Over the course of this project, more than 500 stakeholders attended over eight hours of webinars – all occurring during a global pandemic. Three interim reports were published in order to provide transparency in our work process as well as garner input from our stakeholders and the public. An online survey was also conducted to solicit feedback from EV owners in the state to gain a better understanding of Florida’s current charging infrastructure from those with first-hand experience.

To learn more about the FDACS Office of Energy including other programs, policy initiatives, and the Florida Energy and Climate Plan[  ], visit the Office of Energy website.