Abstract
As Indiana transitions toward electric mobility, data-driven planning is essential to guide electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure investment and deployment. This study evaluates the current and future performance of Indiana’s EV charging infrastructure using Multimodal Energy-Efficient Trip Simulation in Real Time (METS-R), a high-resolution simulation platform. Five EV adoption scenarios, ranging from pessimistic to optimistic, are modeled for the years 2024 through 2031, to assess spatial and temporal variations in public charging demand. Results reveal increasing public charging demand under high adoption scenarios, with significant disparities between urban and non-urban areas. Accessibility to public charging is found to be uneven across Indiana, with access to Direct Current Fast Charging (DCFC) more limited than to Level 2 (L2) chargers. Demand-to-supply analysis identifies Zip Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) with high EV demand relative to accessible charging supply, highlighting priority areas for targeted deployment. Temporal variations in charging demand underscore the importance of time-of-day planning, while vehicle miles traveled (VMT) analysis highlights the dominant role of local roads usage in EV travel. Revenue projections indicate substantial market potential but also underscore the importance of strategic siting and accurate forecasting, with a median return on investment (ROI) of approximately 0.90 over an 8-year period. The estimated economic development impacts include approximately 2,000 jobs, $130 million in earnings, and $400 million in gross output. The study concludes with actionable recommendations for the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) and stakeholders to guide EV infrastructure investment and deployment, including scenario-based planning, accessibility-informed location prioritization, and targeted deployment in areas with high demand-to-supply ratio.
Keywords
electric vehicle, charging infrastructure, simulation, planning
Report Number
FHWA/IN/JTRP-2026/22
SPR Number
4811
Sponsoring Organization
Indiana Department of Transportation
Performing Organization
Joint Transportation Research Program
Publisher Place
West Lafayette, Indiana
Date of Version
2026
DOI
10.5703/1288284318700
Recommended Citation
Hamim, O. F., Chen, X., Wijaya, K. C., Burra, L. T., Lei, Z., Verma, R., Gkritza, K., & Ukkusuri, S. V. (2026). Simulating current and future EV growth scenarios in Indiana (Joint Transportation Research Program Publication No. FHWA/IN/JTRP-2026/22). West Lafayette, IN: Purdue University. https://doi.org/10.5703/1288284318700
SPR-4811 Technical Summary