Our Work

North Carolina EV Policy

The Electrification Coalition conducts policy work in North Carolina to advance the deployment and adoption of electric vehicles and development of charging infrastructure.

To learn more, download our factsheet: Electric Vehicles in North Carolina (PDF)

North Carolina Policy Landscape

North Carolina has taken important steps toward an electrified transportation future, with actions by the state government, local governments, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector, including utilities and EV-related companies.

Download our 2024 North Carolina EV Policy Landscape (PDF) to learn more about the policies, strategies, and partners that can help North Carolina accelerate electrification. This document reflects input from a wide range of on-the-ground stakeholders and builds upon the insights of previous roadmaps and guidance documents, including those developed by the EC.

Freedom to buy vehicles in North Carolina

Outdated laws in North Carolina are standing in the way of consumers’ freedom to buy the vehicles of their choice. These restrictions on car and truck buyers are obstructing economic growth and blocking North Carolinians’ access to the latest automotive technologies. 

Check out our Freedom to Buy Vehicles in North Carolina page for more information on the subject.

North Carolina Medium- and Heavy-Duty Sign-on letter

In 2021, a group of 28 business leaders signed on to a letter urging Governor Roy Cooper to accelerate the transition to electric medium- and heavy-duty (MHD) vehicles to protect North Carolina’s economy, energy security, public health, and climate. 

The letter endorses the following actions:

  • Support incentives, utility investments and state targets that will accelerate the electrification of trucks that travel along our highways and through our neighborhoods to deliver goods to our homes and businesses.
  • Convene an MHD electrification working group that includes North Carolina’s largest commercial fleets.
  • Electrify public transit and school buses to provide clean, healthy ways for North Carolina’s residents to travel to and from school, work, and home.
  • Invest in the development of MHD charging infrastructure to ensure that North Carolina does not miss out on the economic opportunities afforded by the electrification of transportation.

Federal Funding in North Carolina

Federal funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are key piece to ensuring fast and equitable adoption of EVs and distribution of charging infrastructure. Below is a list of awarded federal funding in North Carolina: 

National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Program 

North Carolina was awarded $109 million over five years to implement a highway charging corridor program. The funds will be used to install fast, reliable charging every 50 miles along almost 4,000 miles of alternative fuel corridors. All charging sites will be located within a mile of a highway.  

The request for proposals for this program will be released soon.

Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Discretionary Grant Program

The first round of CFI grant program awardees were announced in January 2024, and North Carolina was awarded two programs:

Program NameProgram LocationFunds AwardedProgram TypeDescription
Public Access to EV Charging for the City of Kings MountainCity of Kings Mountain$822,737.31CommunityThe City of Kings Mountain will receive $822,000 to build 34 EV charging ports at five public parking areas, less than a mile from Interstate 85 and US Highway 74. Locations of the new charging stations in a rural community close to the NC-SC border, include city hall, a central business district, a public works facility and two parking lots near Exit 5 of I-85. The area is a developing tourist and recreational development that includes the Two Kings Casino owned by the Catawba Indian Nation.
Empower Durham: Equitable EV Charging in the City of Durham, NC – Corridor ComponentCity of Durham$4,864,000.00CorridorThe City of Durham will receive $4.8 million to install fast charging EV ports at up to three locations in historically disadvantaged communities of the city within one mile of Interstate 40, Interstate 85, Interstate 885, and US Highway 70. The new chargers will be built along major national highways designated as Alternative Fuel Corridors and will include community outreach to educate residents about electric vehicles.
EPA Clean School Bus Program

Two rounds of Clean School Bus program funding have been awarded so far, with North Carolina receiving 145 buses in total:

Funding year

Type

District Name

Number of Buses

2024

Grant

Durham Public Schools

38

2024

Grant

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools

27

2024

Grant

Cherokee Central Schools

15

2022

Rebate

Columbus County Schools

9

2024

Grant

Kannapolis City Schools

8

2022

Rebate

Mina Charter School of Lee County

7

2022

Rebate

Discovery Charter School

6

2022

Rebate

Bladen County Schools

5

2022

Rebate

Halifax County Schools

4

2024

Grant

Bertie County

4

2024

Grant

Maureen Joy Charter School

4

2024

Grant

Emereau Bladen Charter School

3

2024

Grant

KIPP Durham College Prep

3

2024

Grant

Cumberland County Schools

2

2024

Grant

Granville County Schools

2

2024

Grant

KIPP Halifax College Prep

2

2024

Grant

Madison County Public Schools

2

2024

Grant

Richmond County Schools

2

2024

Grant

Johnston County Schools

1

2024

Grant

Reaching All Minds Academy

1

Events in North Carolina

Southeastern Regional Rural RoundtablE

On October 4, 2023, the Electrification Coalition convened policymakers and industry representatives from across the Southeast in Charlotte, NC, to discuss issues affecting rural transportation electrification in Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas. Areas of focus included workforce development, the role of utilities in the transition, battery recycling, and more. Click here to view speakers and relevant resources on the event page.

North Carolina Rural Roundtable

On May 5, 2023, the Electrification Coalition and local and state leaders met for a roundtable discussion on vehicle electrification in rural North Carolina. The purpose of the event was to offer insights into the best practices, funding opportunities, and community needs to ensure the greatest influence on electric transportation. This includes buses, fleet vehicles, and charging infrastructure in rural North Carolina. There was a particular emphasis on workforce development and job opportunities that can be created by electrification infrastructure expansion plans. 

North Carolina EV Policy Bootcamp

We brought together policymakers, industry experts, and advocates for a day-long bootcamp in September 2020 to accelerate EV adoption in North Carolina. See a full list of speakers, slides, and a recording of the event.

Additional Resources

According to the fourth annual Transportation Electrification in the Southeast report, published by Atlas Public Policy in collaboration with the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, North Carolina topped 70,000 electric vehicle registrations as of June 2023. Read more transportation electrification milestones from states across the Southeast in the report

Great Smoky Mountains National Park has published a guide titled Electric Vehicle Charging in Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Beyond that takes readers through the different charging options in and around the park!

Amy Malaki

Amy Malaki is the Director of Partnerships and Policy at SkyNRG and SkyNRG Americas, pioneering global leaders in sustainable aviation fuel production and supply. Prior to SkyNRG, Amy was the Associate Director for the transportation portfolio at the ClimateWorks Foundation where she developed philanthropic investment strategies to advance a sustainable, equitable and low-carbon mobility system. She also pioneered the organization’s international aviation decarbonization strategy. Prior to that she focused on Asia business development at Better Place, a Silicon Valley electric vehicle network startup. She has a B.A. in Chinese and China studies from the University of Washington and an M.A. in international policy studies (energy and environment) from Stanford University.