Advancing Rural Mobility through Innovative Charging Solutions

Electric vehicle (EV) ownership in the United States is growing. Since EVs have emerged as an additional mobility option available in the market, their proliferation requires charging infrastructure to support the growing number on EVs on the national highway system. While many EV owners predominantly charge their vehicles at home, EV fast chargers are needed to provide support for efficient long distance and interstate travel. The advent of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) in rural areas has the potential to address long-standing challenges related to accessibility, connectivity, and service delivery using electric vertical take-off and landing [eVTOL] aircraft and drones. These mobility solutions also require charging infrastructure to enable their deployment.      Development of new fast charging stations has been delayed by the need to connect the charging stations to the electric grid. Microgrids, which are small, local power grids that use locally sourced energy to supply electricity within that microgrid, provide an opportunity to provide needed energy without the need to connect to the electric grid. These solutions are preferable in areas where interconnection with the electric grid would be not feasible, not timely, or cost prohibitive, including rural areas. This project would investigate and evaluate microgrids and storage for EV charging solutions that allow for long-distance EV mobility, laying the groundwork for further research  and implementation to enable efficient mobility of electric vehicles across the US.  The project will also address non-traditional charging applications (beyond on-road vehicle charging) to address potential charging solutions for AAM operations in rural areas.    

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $60,000.00
• Contract Numbers:

  69A3552348329

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Managing Organizations:

  Center for Efficient Mobility

  1111 Rellis Parkway
  Bryan, Texas  United States  77807
• Project Managers:

  Ocon, Monica

• Performing Organizations:

  Texas A&M Transportation Institute

  Texas A&M University System
  3135 TAMU
  College Station, TX  United States  77843-3135

  Texas A&M University, College Station

  Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station
  1470 William D. Fitch Parkway
  College Station, TX  United States  77845
• Principal Investigators:

  Kraus, Edgar

  Balog, Robert

• Start Date: 20260301
• Expected Completion Date: 20261231
• Actual Completion Date: 0
• USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers
• Source Data: 03-06-TTI

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Drones; Electric aircraft; Electric power supply; Electric vehicle charging; Electric vehicles; Rural areas
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Energy; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01981711
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Center for Advancing Research in Transportation Emissions, Energy, and Health (CARTEEH)
• Contract Numbers: 69A3552348329
• Files: UTC, RIP
• Created Date: Mar 4 2026 1:49PM