Equity evaluation of community-based public EV charging services - A case study of the Sacramento region

This paper presents an empirical study that evaluates the distribution of opportunities and burdens brought by public Electric Vehicle (EV) charging resources (PEVCR) in the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) region in California. A community's EV charging opportunities are measured by its accessibility to reachable charging stations and the supply to demand ratio of those stations. Burdens are measured by charging cost. Findings show a 334% increase in PEVCR since 2018, with 95% concentrated in central and established areas, exhibiting a significant spatial clustering effect. No correlation was found between a community's income level and its spatial access to PEVCR when factored in charging demand, which might suggest little income- based disparities in infrastructure access. In terms of distribution of burdens, significant equity challenges related land use and residential types were observed. Renters, who rely more on PEVCR, face higher EV recharging costs despite lower charging demand. These findings highlight an imperative need for strategic planning and policy interventions to shape the future public EV charging infrastructure to deliver affordable and equitable charging services for all communities.