Martin’s ignorant comment was just that – a comment. Battery-integrated bidirectional charging technology can push power back to gas stations and other commercial buildings in an emergency, providing the ability to charge EVs and also power gas pumps during power outages. Gas pumps also need electricity to operate. Instead of restricting certain residents’ ability to evacuate during a natural disaster, state leaders should consider investing in resilient technology to build out Florida’s EV charging infrastructure network, such as battery-integrated DCFC, which enables charging during power outages. FreeWire’s director of regulatory affairs, Renee Samson, told Electrek today in an email: Oakland, California-based FreeWire makes battery-integrated EV power stations. We need to provide that same level of service to electric vehicles. We have our emergency assistance vehicles that we deploy during a hurricane evacuation that have gas. So, if an electrical vehicle runs out of charge, there are technologies. Some of the things we’re looking into … is portable EV chargers. Tillander replied in so many words that the FDOT isn’t so hot on the idea of an EV ban during hurricane evacuations: My concern is there’s not an infrastructure currently available in the state of Florida for the amount of EVs that might be used to evacuate, on evacuation routes, during a time of emergency. And what might look like a two-hour trip might turn into an eight-hour trip once you’re on the road. With a couple of guys behind you, you can’t get out of the car and push it to the side of the road. The News Service of Florida reported what Martin said about EVs in evacuations during the discussion: Grant agreements will be in place in Florida by the end of 2023. For the first round of grants, stations must be within a mile of the interstate, and rural and underserved communities must be given consideration.
The federal EV charging infrastructure program requires EV stations to be 50 miles apart and open to all EVs. They discussed Florida’s plans for the $198 million it’s going to get from the Biden administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for EV charging infrastructure over the next five years. The Select Committee on Resiliency met with the Florida Department of Transportation’s (FDOT) executive director of transportation technologies, Trey Tillander, in late February. State senator Jonathan Martin, a Republican who represents Fort Myers, sits on the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources and also the new Select Committee on Resiliency. A Florida state senator told the state’s Department of Transportation that he thinks EVs could run out of charge and block traffic during hurricane evacuations.
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