Electric Vehicle Charging Stations at Risk from Hazardous Events and Power Outages: Analytics and Resilience Implications

The resilience of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure is a notable challenge as the transportation sector transitions toward electrification, driven by the need to mitigate climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This paper examines the risks posed by natural hazards and power outages to EV charging stations across the United States, with a focus on understanding how these risks impact charging infrastructure. We analyze correlations between hazard risk scores and the deployment of Level 2 and DC fast charging stations, utilizing national risk indices, geospatial charging infrastructure data, and records of electric disturbance events for 2023. Our findings reveal weak but statistically significant correlations between the distribution of charging infrastructure and hazard risk scores, with severe weather and natural hazards emerging as primary causes of power outages that disrupt charging operations, particularly in high-risk states like Texas. Risk threshold analysis in Texas identifies a critical tipping point, a risk score exceeding 97.18, where the probability of power outages due to natural hazards significantly increases, providing a clear decision-making guideline for prioritizing infrastructure fortification in high-risk and hazard-prone regions.