City, Stakeholders Complete Electric Vehicle Readiness Study
Published on October 17, 2024
The City of Sioux Falls, along with a third-party consultant and a group of community stakeholders, recently completed an Electric Vehicle (EV) Readiness Study. The purpose of the study was to assess and analyze forecasted EV trends, charging infrastructure needs, grid capacity, and safety implications to help Sioux Falls prepare for anticipated EV growth and remain investible.
Through a nearly year-long process, the City worked with HDR Engineering and a stakeholder group composed of representatives from utilities, transportation, housing, tourism, and large employers to collect and analyze local, state, and national EV data and solicit input from Sioux Falls residents on the challenges and opportunities EVs present.
“We recognize EV adoption is heavily influenced by the private sector, and we led this study as a facilitator between stakeholder groups to prepare the community and service providers to serve residents and visitors who want this service,” said Josh Peterson, the City’s Environmental Services Manager. “By planning for anticipated consumer and private sector demand, the City can stay competitive regionally and be a desirable community in which to live and work.”
The study is primarily divided into three sections: EV 101, which gives a brief overview of EVs, terminology, benefits, and concerns; EV growth, which outlines the expected range of growth of EV ownership in Sioux Falls and how the City can prepare; and recommended strategies that were developed for all stakeholders to keep Sioux Falls proactive for EV growth.
According to the study, an estimated 2 percent of vehicles sold in Sioux Falls in 2022 were EVs, compared to 7 percent nationally and 1.6 percent in South Dakota. By 2033, Sioux Falls could have 7,500–20,000 EVs, accounting for 3–8 percent of all vehicles.
In addition to providing current and projected EV adoption data, the study also outlines the benefits and concerns of EVs. EV benefits include lower emissions and thus improved air quality, lower fuel and maintenance costs, noise pollution reduction, and energy independence and efficiency. EV concerns include a lack of charging infrastructure, high purchase costs, environmental concerns related to battery manufacturing and electricity powering EVs generated from fossil fuels, a lack of power grid capacity, safety concerns, and cold climate performance.
The study concludes with recommended strategies divided into stakeholder actions for homeowners, charging providers, private utilities, the EV industry, and the City of Sioux Falls. For the City specifically, recommended strategies include tracking EV registrations and charger locations, reviewing EV strategies other cities are implementing, and developing site standards for charging stations, like lighting, safety, and accessibility.
“Just because the study is complete does not mean the work is complete,” Peterson said. “As a City team, we will be working on what it looks like to bring the recommended strategies in the study to fruition, and we will continue to support the other community stakeholders in their own endeavors to prepare Sioux Falls for possible EV growth.”