For eight years, the Electrify the South Electric Transportation Toolkit for Local Governments has been a reliable guide highlighting actionable EV strategies and policies. The 2026 update includes new learnings and resources, including proven examples for local governments seeking inspiration from their peers. The goal of the Toolkit is to provide information that is easily navigated and ready to be implemented.
The Toolkit is a PDF that can be downloaded and shared among stakeholders. It’s formatted as a series of factsheets based on “big ideas,” and it retains a hyperlinked table of contents that allows users to quickly jump to the factsheet/big idea of interest.
What’s New in 2026?
Electrify My Fleet: Municipal Roadmap Generator Tool
The “Electrify My Fleet” Municipal Roadmap Generator is an interactive tool designed to assist municipal representatives in evaluating their electric vehicle fleet readiness and generate a customized municipal fleet electrification roadmap. It takes users through a structured decision-making process and helps identify baseline metrics and desired goals. Users answer questions in the tool, which takes about fifteen minutes, and the tool then produces an actionable, personalized roadmap for fleet electrification. Click here to learn more about the resource. This resource is found in the Municipal Fleet factsheet/section.
Utility Programs Spreadsheet
The spreadsheet was developed by SACE and is a catalog of investor-owned, municipal, and cooperative utility electric vehicle programs. It can be used to identify utility offerings that can reduce the cost of infrastructure installation or energy costs for commercial and residential customers. There are rebates for the purchase of residential vehicles with some programs. Additionally, some utilities provide fleet support. It is subdivided into tabs arranged by state and has hyperlinks to each of the identified programs. This resource can be found in the Utility Engagement factsheet/section.
Barrier-Reducing Permitting Resources
There are new resources from several sources to help identify and reduce barriers to charging equipment development stemming from permitting. The National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO), American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), and Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use (NESCAUM) are working on improving permitting for fast-charging stations. Additionally, there are several playbooks from the Alternative Fuels Data Center and New York, New Jersey, and California. All these new resources can be found in the Regulation: Permitting and Inspection factsheet/section.
Multifamily Housing Resource
The FORTH Charge at Home Program website has a ton of resources to encourage charging installations for both new and existing properties. There are tools and guides for residents and developers. The project also includes technical assistance, including free consultations to multifamily housing developers. These resources can be found in the Residential Charging factsheet/section.
Take-Home Fleet Vehicle Guidance
Many municipalities are considering how to address electric fleet vehicles that employees take home. The charging considerations make it more complex than traditional gas vehicles. The Colorado State Controller’s Office has developed considerations for placement of take-home electric vehicles that are worth examining. This resource and others can be found in the Workplace Charging factsheet/section.
GRID Fast Tool for Utility Communication
Another new resource highlighted in the Utility Engagement factsheet/section is from our partners at Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) called the GridFAST tool. It is an online portal that allows developers looking to install charging infrastructure to streamline collaboration between themselves and the electric utilities that will be providing power to their project.
Working With One Another
The most important aspect of the Toolkit remains that it is a repository of hard work done by other local governments across the country and, critically, in the Southeast. It is an opportunity to see the policies and practices that have been implemented and are propelling communities into an electric transportation future. Highlighting the outcomes and local governments taking action is important and provides an opportunity for peer-to-peer learning. Fairfax County, Virginia’s EV Readiness Strategy and Raleigh, North Carolina’s EV Implementation Strategy Rollout are examples of this. Their work can be found in the factsheet/section on Community Planning.
Curious about Learning More?
Local government staff who are interested in maximizing the Toolkit to meet their ET goals can schedule a one-on-one consultation with Dory Larsen from SACE.
