By EC Senior Associate Emily Pape
My friend Erin recently bought her first EV, taking advantage of the $4,000 federal used EV tax credit to purchase a used Tesla Model 3 for less than $20,000. She’s finishing up her master’s degree at Stanford, and lives in an apartment building near campus with her partner. So far, they haven’t worried much about charging their new-to-them EV, despite not having a place to charge at home—but that might change once Erin graduates into a real job with a just-as-real commute. “While I’ve been at school, I just use the chargers on campus,” she says. But the prospect of spending eight or more hours a day with her car parked somewhere that doesn’t offer EV charging gives her pause. “Whether or not a company offers EV charging has definitely factored into my job search,” she admits.
Like many entering the job market for the first (or tenth) time, Erin is evaluating her employment options based on salary, company culture, health benefits, time off, and now—the availability of EV charging.
With people like Erin in mind, the transportation nonprofit Forth and its partners—including the EC—have created a certification for employers to demonstrate that they’re exactly the type of workplace my friend is looking for. Backed by the U.S. Department of Energy, the Electric Vehicle Adoption Leadership (EVAL) certification aims to advance workplace charging and recognize the critical role that workplaces play in expanding charging access. Organizations can apply for certification by completing an online application with five sections about employee options for sustainable commutes, including employee engagement, planning and evaluation efforts, mobility incentives, EV charging, and innovative leadership efforts. Once submitted, Forth reviews each application and approves certification at the level of bronze, silver, gold, or platinum based on the number of points earned across all evaluation categories.
Already, workplaces are jumping at the chance to get EVAL certified and demonstrate their commitment to carbon-free transportation to their employees, customers, and communities. EVAL certification is available to any organization where people work—that includes private businesses, nonprofits, governments, schools, and more.
Since EVAL launched in November 2023, nearly 200 workplaces have gotten EVAL certified. August saw several new certifications across the United States, including:
- Bryan Electric, New Jersey, Platinum
- Lynkwell, New York, Platinum
- SMUD, California, Platinum
- Utility Partners of America, South Carolina, Gold
- Chateau Chantal Winery & Inn, Michigan, Silver
- Jefferson County Prevention and Recovery Board, Ohio, Silver
- Roysons Corporation, New Jersey, Silver
- RingCentral, California, Bronze
- St. Louis Clean Cities, Missouri, Bronze
- Triangle Clean Cities, North Carolina, Bronze
To learn more about how your workplace can become EVAL certified, visit www.evalcertification.org or reach out to EC Senior Associate Emily Pape at emily@electrification.org.