City officials plan to make electrifying changes to public parks and more — here's how it could affect residents

A city in Pennsylvania has been awarded a $3.1 million federal grant to install electric vehicle chargers in low-income areas to help remove barriers to owning an EV.

Lancaster officials are looking at locations in public parks and parking lots in disadvantaged neighborhoods that don't currently have access to charging stations, per LancasterOnline. 

Areas are determined as disadvantaged by the federal government based on a number of factors such as income and education levels as well as pollution levels. As many as 74 new charging stations could be installed over the next three to five years. 

When discussing where the chargers could be installed, Cindy McCormick, the city's deputy director of public works, said, per LancasterOnline: "They align with areas where residents don't necessarily have access to charging and off-street parking, which is an impediment for people to purchase electric vehicles." 

Increasing infrastructure for electric vehicles allows more people to reap the benefits of having an EV no matter where they live. A study by researchers at the University of Maryland has found that there needs to be more investment in charging infrastructure in low-income and minority communities to ensure they aren't left behind during the transition to electric mobility. 

Electric vehicles are becoming more accessible, and there is now a car available for every type of driver and budget. As reported by Forbes, a recent study shows that over half of EVs are now cheaper to own than gas-powered models, in addition to costing less to fuel and maintain. EVs also don't produce any tailpipe pollution, which means they are better for our health and the planet. 

Lancaster was one of 49 locations across the U.S. to receive a grant from the federal Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Program that was announced by Sen. John Fetterman's office earlier this month. 

According to his website, up to 200 EV charging ports will also be installed in Philadelphia and 150 new charging stations in Allegheny County. This move will help ensure that everyone has access to sustainable transport options.

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