A community forum slated for this evening (Wednesday) aims to gather more input as Fairfax County officials work on strategies to support the growing number of electric vehicles on local roads.
The online forum, set to run Aug. 6 from 6 to 7 p.m., will be another step toward the adoption of a Fairfax County Electric Vehicle (EV) Readiness Strategy. The project is being led by Fairfax County’s Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination and Department of Vehicle Services.
Final action by the Board of supervisors is expected in September.
Currently, only about 3% of passenger vehicles registered in Fairfax are electric powered. County officials hope to see that increase to 15% for 2030.
“Expanding the availability of vehicle charging infrastructure is crucial for achieving these goals and ensuring that everyone, regardless of their location or socioeconomic status, has equitable access to the benefits of electric vehicles,” officials said in announcing the upcoming forum.
The new strategy plan will represent “a roadmap” to the future, officials said.
“From public charging stations to building codes, your input will help shape how the county prepares for an EV-friendly future,” officials said in the notice for the forum.
Released on Monday (Aug. 4), the county’s draft report outlines steps taken to date to support EVs and proposes future actions, including a network of public charging stations to augment private-sector efforts.
According to the report, the county is on pace to exceed its 2030 goal for EV adoption, reaching 24% of vehicle registrations if the rate seen from 2016 to 2023 continues.
“However, continued EV adoption may be hindered by shifting federal priorities, including pauses in infrastructure funding, new vehicle tariffs, or changes to EV tax credits as have recently been enacted,” the report says.
Under the tax bill signed by President Donald Trump on July 4, people who buy electric vehicles after Sept. 30 will no longer receive $7,500 in tax credits for new vehicle purchases or $4,000 for old vehicles. The bill also scrapped tax credits to incentivize EV battery production and more stringent emissions regulations.
In addition, the number of charging stations in the county — 1,156 Level 2 (L2) ports and 239 direct current fast charger (DCFC) ports — is “sufficient” for the existing electric vehicles on the road, but there are gaps along major roads and in areas with multifamily housing, according to the draft readiness strategy, which estimates that the county will need to increase the availability of chargers by five or six times to meet demand in 2030.
In July, Fairfax officials expanded the “Charge Up Fairfax” initiative, which assists organizations address technical and financial challenges to installing electric vehicle chargers.
Places of worship and nonprofit organizations are now eligible to apply in addition to neighborhood and civic associations. Reston’s Harpers Square cluster became the first neighborhood in the county to install communal EV chargers through the program last year.
Beyond encouraging residents and businesses to make the switch to electric vehicles, the county has a target of fully converting its own fleet to either electric or non-carbon-emitting by 2035.
