02 Aug Evs and new ways of living fueled by location intelligence

The transition to electric vehicles (EV) represents a long overdue response to the ongoing climate emergency. California, having by far more registered cars than any state in the nation, has pledged to cease sales of new fossil fuel-burning cars by 2035, and automotive companies are increasing EV production.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will invest $5 billion to expand EV charging networks across the country. And the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) lifts the per-manufacturer limit on the number of cars that can receive a plug-in electric vehicle tax credit. A rebate is offered even on used EVs to extend the benefit to all. Given that transportation is the greatest contributor to greenhouse gases, the combined investment and incentives put the United States within reach of its Paris Agreement commitment to cut emissions by half by 2030.

However, these changes also present new challenges. Mining lithium in sufficient quantities to withstand demand for EV batteries is itself carbon intensive and raises concerns over environmental degradation, resource extraction, and human rights. Additionally, EV charging infrastructure remains underdeveloped. Potential EV owners are reluctant to make purchases until charging station networks improve, while private investors that would finance EV infrastructure are waiting for EV production to catch up to demand.

These challenges require insights not only about where best to place new EV chargers but also in regard to broader urban plans and infrastructure practices. EV crossover represents a completely reimagined way for us to move and live. And the push to reduce dependence on fossil fuels is driving a transformation of our transportation infrastructure.

Location intelligence provides the means to examine these complex issues and achieve clarity on viable solutions.

Illinois’s EVTown Paves the Way for Sustainable Practices

The city of Normal, Illinois, has long seen itself as an important outpost of the EV revolution. In 2011, after enticing Mitsubishi to open a plant to manufacture the i-MiEV—an innovative electric car that proved too early to market—Normal dubbed itself “EVTown.”Mitsubishi’s arrival coincided with the city’s Sustainable Normal plan, which included new bike trails and walkways, nature-based stormwater solutions, a revamped train station, and investments in renewable energy and EV charging stations.

Six years later, Rivian, an EV company backed by Amazon, bought the former Mitsubishi factory and expanded it to four million square feet with production lines for trucks, SUVs, and Amazon delivery vehicles. The city’s commitment to sustainability and transparency was a major factor in the company’s decision to build operations in Normal.

To achieve their mission, city planners in Normal rely on location intelligence for making decisions and tracking progress. GIS maps and dashboards enable project visualization and analysis across teams and departments while also facilitating public communication and data sharing

Residents can also access GIS maps and dashboards online to see the city’s project plans and verify that investments are equitable across the city. “The purpose of this tool is to make it easier for the public to know exactly what’s going on in their neighborhood,” said Vasudha Gadhiraju, director of Normal’s Innovation and Technology Department.

For transparency, the city recently extended its use of GIS to Normal’s Community Investment Plan. Previously, the plan was posted online in a spreadsheet, a format that was not easy to understand and was time-consuming to update. Now, anyone can easily view the information and examine projects in relation to their geographic location.

Cassidy Killian, Normal’s GIS coordinator, oversaw the creation of department-level dashboards. Using GIS, staff across departments can filter their data, record ongoing projects, and find metrics by project type. “The biggest benefit is seeing who is doing what and where, getting that overall picture in one place,” Killian said.

Because each department shares its data, staff can identify project conflicts and track funding sources to coordinate project phases. For example, if a water main project has approval, the water department can view the scope and timetable for road improvements at the same location as the project, eliminating the frustration of having to cut into freshly paved roads.

Urban planners are applying their GIS-based planning and analysis to the renewal of the city center, called Uptown Normal. The work started by replacing a dangerous five-way intersection with a pedestrian-friendly roundabout and community plaza known as Uptown Circle. The traffic-calming effect has made Uptown Normal a more attractive setting for businesses and housing, increasing property values while triggering new investment.

The city also created a GIS-powered business directory that shares Uptown Normal’s dining, shopping, entertainment, and lodging options—useful to visitors, residents, and the 21,000 students at Illinois State University. The directory automates the business licensing process, drawing data directly from each company’s required submissions. If a business is not on the map, its license isn’t current.

As part of its sustainability commitment, Normal uses location intelligence to identify projects that promote active and multimodal transportation. Projectsinclude the extension of a trail network to new suburbs and the expansion of the bike trail along historic Route 66 that links the town to five other communities. And the new Uptown Connector Underpass will provide pedestrian and bicycle passage beneath the railroad tracks, increasing access to railway platforms and enhancing safety for high-speed trains.