On June 9, 2020, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed the Essential State Infrastructure Bill into law, which will support the construction of electric vehicle (EV) fast-charging stations along the State Highway System. This bill will compliment ongoing efforts by the Florida Office of Energy, within the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS OOE), to develop an EV Roadmap for Florida with the goals of identifying the impacts of fast charging on the electric grid and solutions to any potential problems, identifying key locations and best practices for siting infrastructure, and any regulatory changes needed to encourage the buildout of EV infrastructure.
With the passage of the Essential State Infrastructure bill, the Florida Department of Transportation will work in consultation with the Florida Public Service Commission and FDACS OOE to develop an EV infrastructure master plan along the State Highway System by July 2021, with an initial status report due by December 1, 2020. In addition to supporting EV infrastructure buildout generally, the initiative will support emergency response by identifying possible locations for charging infrastructure that will adequately serve evacuation routes. “Electric vehicles are a critical component to reducing energy consumption, curbing greenhouse gas emissions, and supporting a sustainable transportation system,” said Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried. “It is our job as the state government to provide guidance and information, so the necessary infrastructure can be installed where our citizens will need it most.”