EV Charging Stations in the US - Main Page

EV Charging Stations in the US - State Drill Through

Quick Summary

  • Goal: Identify the number and location of EV charging stations across the U.S., with the ability to drill down into individual states for more granular analysis.

  • Process: Data was sourced from the U.S. Department of Energy, cleaned and formatted using Excel, and visualized using Power BI. The dashboard provides a national overview and allows users to explore state-level details.

  • Insights:

    • California has the highest number of charging stations, significantly outpacing other states.

    • The East Coast has a higher concentration of chargers, while central and rural states have fewer.

    • Tesla networks (Tesla Destination and Superchargers) dominate the charging infrastructure, followed by Vialynk and Universal.

    • Hotels and car dealerships are the most common locations for charging stations.

    • The Power BI dashboard provides an interactive drill-through function, allowing users to explore trends for specific states.

Project Summary

The EV Charging Stations in the US project analyzed the geographic distribution of electric vehicle charging stations to understand where infrastructure is most developed and where expansion opportunities exist.

Using data from the U.S. Department of Energy, the project visualized trends at both the national and state levels. The Power BI dashboard allows users to examine overall distribution, public vs. private chargers, and key facility types housing EV chargers.

Project Environment

  • Tools and Technologies Used:

    • Excel – Data transformation, cleaning, formatting, and organization.

    • Power BI – Creating visualizations, formatting data, and interactive dashboard design.

  • Context & Business Purpose:

    • Understanding where EV charging stations are located across the U.S.

    • Identifying which states have the most charging stations and areas that may benefit from additional infrastructure.

  • Constraints & Limitations:

    • No significant constraints, but the data needed to be manually collected from the U.S. Department of Energy.

Scope and Project Steps

  • Objectives:

    • Identify states with the highest and lowest numbers of EV charging stations.

    • Explore potential infrastructure expansion opportunities based on demand and current distribution.

    • Provide an interactive tool for users to explore charging station data at national and state levels.

  • Major Steps in Analysis:

    1. Data Collection: Retrieved the dataset from the U.S. Department of Energy website.

    2. Data Cleaning & Preparation:

      • Used Excel to clean, transform, and organize data.

      • Standardized location fields (e.g., state names, zip codes).

    3. Data Analysis & Visualization:

      • Created Power BI dashboards for both national and state-level views.

    4. Insights & Interpretation:

      • Identified high-concentration areas and gaps in charging station availability.

  • Ensuring Accuracy & Reliability:

    • The dataset was sourced from a trusted government agency.

    • Data cleaning ensured consistent formatting and correct categorization.

Data Sources and Data Gathering

  • Source:

    • Data was obtained from the U.S. Department of Energy website, ensuring reliability.

  • Cleaning and Preparation:

    • Excel was used to clean and format the dataset, ensuring location data (state, zip code, etc.) was properly categorized.

    • Power BI was used to refine data structure and improve usability for visualization.

  • Challenges:

    • No major challenges in data collection or preparation.

Data Checks and Summary Metrics

  • Key Statistics Analyzed:

    • Total number of charging stations: 75,777.

    • Public vs. private chargers: Majority are public, with private chargers forming a smaller portion.

    • Charging station distribution by state: California has the most stations, followed by New York, Florida, and Texas.

    • Charging station distribution by facility type: Hotels, car dealerships, and public areas are the most common locations.

  • Unexpected Trends & Patterns:

    • The East Coast has a high concentration of chargers, with California leading nationally.

    • Central and rural states have fewer stations, indicating potential for expansion.

    • Tesla’s network is the dominant EV charging provider, followed by Vialynk and Universal.

Dashboard Build

  • Visualizations Created:

    • National overview dashboard – Shows total charging stations, state-wise distribution, public vs. private chargers, and facility types.

    • State drill-through dashboard – Provides detailed insights into specific states (e.g., New Hampshire example).

  • Design and Usability Considerations:

    • Clean and readable layout with ample negative space.

    • Drill-through functionality to avoid overwhelming the viewer with too much data on one page.

    • Filters and interactive components allow users to explore specific states and charger types.

  • Main Takeaways:

    • California is far ahead in EV infrastructure, followed by the East Coast.

    • Tesla's networks dominate, butVialynk is also a key player.

    • Hotels, car dealerships, and public areas are prime locations for EV chargers.

    • The Power BI dashboard enhances data exploration through interactivity, making it useful for stakeholders interested in EV infrastructure planning.

Datasets

Github