New utility rules could clear path for more EV charging in Louisiana

The latest: The new rules will clarify how the state will monitor EV charging stations, which should help a potential charging station business owner understand what they're getting into, LPSC Commissioner Davante Lewis tells Axios New Orleans.

• The commission has already ruled that it doesn't view electric charging as a utility, Lewis says, so the latest rules will, for example, define who decides how pricing could work and whether a utility could use their own electric power excess.
• "Once those questions are answered, you'll see more investment," Lewis says, "but a lot of people, rightfully so, are not going to build EV charging equipment without knowing the rate structure or rate design."

By the numbers: Louisiana had just more than 700 EV charging stations in 2023, according to the ISeeCars.com study.

• The state's non-Tesla charging stations are also pricier than the national average, according to according to data gathered by Stable, a software developer for EV charging. Louisiana's average cost was $0.49 per kilowatt hour, versus the $0.45 national average.
• Most of the charging infrastructure, Lewis says, exists in places like shopping malls and hotels, which can make a strict commute a little more challenging.
• "We haven't developed significant charging along Interstate 10," he says, "which is extremely important."

Threat level: That stretch of highway, Lewis says, is key for hurricane evacuation, and with changes in how coastal Louisiana might evacuate in the future, it's important to figure out how best to get utilities in place before they're needed.

• The key concerns, however, aren't "fundamentally different" from any he has about drivers in gas-powered cars, he says.
• Plus, "there are a lot of gas stations, especially along I-10, that I imagine would be interested in owning charging stations," Lewis says, and the new rules may clear the way for that to happen organically.

State of play: Many EV owners do end up installing their own home chargers, lessening the need for station visits, especially with vehicle ranges lasting around 200 to 300 miles.

Between the lines: The number of Louisiana's charging stations hasn't been a problem yet for Tesla Model 3 driver Drew Cambre, he tells Axios New Orleans, even when he evacuated for Hurricane Ida.

• "It was surprisingly easy," Cambre says, noting he just made sure the car was fully charged as he planned his family's exit. "That's the big thing with EVs: You just have to pay attention. You can't, like with a gas car, drive until the E light comes on and wonder where's the nearest station."
• Still, he admits that "it would be great" if there were more charging stations with the typical roadside features, especially if the state's EV population grew.

What's next: The new rules won't have much impact on this hurricane season.