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EV Adoption Accelerates In New Regions, Expanding Opportunities For Electrical Contractors

Electric vehicle adoption continues to gain momentum across the United States, but the latest data shows that the market is no longer driven solely by traditional EV strongholds on the West Coast. According to a recent analysis from StorageCafe, western states still dominate overall EV readiness and ownership, yet emerging markets in the South and Midwest are rapidly closing the gap. For electrical contractors, the findings highlight a continuing expansion of opportunities beyond established EV markets. As adoption spreads into new regions, demand is increasing for residential Level 2 charger installations, commercial charging projects, fleet electrification infrastructure, and utility upgrades.  EV Adoption Accelerates in New Regions, Expanding Opportunities for Electrical Contractors | EC&M

The Hassle of Approved Product Lists for EV Charger Rebates

EV charger rebates remain very strong heading into 2026, but finding an incentive is only the first step. Qualifying for it can be much harder. One of the biggest challenges is the continued use of Approved Product Lists, or APLs. These lists determine which chargers or networks are eligible for certain rebate programs.  24% of incentive programs across North America currently have an Approved Product List. That may sound modest, but many of these programs cover major markets where missing from the list can have a significant impact. Getting on these lists can take a lot of work, and not every manufacturer prioritizes the process. So we looked at which charger brands and networks appear most often on approved lists across North America. According to BriteSwitch’s RebatePro for EV Chargers, a record 85% of the US is currently covered by rebates, incentives, grants, or tax credits for installing EV charging equipment. The Hassle of Approved Product Lists for EV Charger Rebates

EV Charger Rebate Trends for 2026 by BriteSwitch

2025 was a complicated year for the EV industry. EV sales fell sharply in Q4, and for those in the charging business, the headlines may have felt unsettling. But vehicle sales and the charging business are telling two very different stories. The US added 17% more charging ports, and utilization continues to climb. Electrek reported 141 million charging sessions in 2025, a 30% increase over the previous year. There are more EVs on the road than ever, and drivers are using public charging stations more frequently. Rebates still play a crucial role in building up the EV charging infrastructure in North America, and they’re as strong as ever. We break down the five biggest EV charger rebate trends shaping 2026:

Lighting the Way for Electric Vehicles by Using Streetlamps as Chargers by Sarah Small

A team of researchers at Penn State created a scalable framework to develop, analyze and evaluate using streetlights as a low-cost, equitable EV charging option. They then installed 23 streetlight charging units in Kansas City, Missouri, and tested their framework. The researchers found that streetlight charging stations, compared to traditional EV charging stations, were more cost- and time-effective, had fewer negative environmental impacts, and were more convenient and accessible. Their results were published in the Journal of Urban Planning and Development, which is overseen by the American Society of Civil Engineers. Lighting the way for electric vehicles by using streetlamps as chargers

Remembering the Solemn Purpose of Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States observed on the last Monday in May to honor and mourn U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the armed forces. The holiday traces its roots to the years immediately following the American Civil War (1861–1865), which caused massive casualties—roughly 620,000 soldiers dead, about 2% of the U.S. population at the time. Communities across the North and South began spontaneously decorating the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers, wreaths, and flags, a practice that gave rise to the original name: Decoration Day. On May 5, 1868, Major General John A. Logan, commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR)—a powerful Union veterans’ organization—issued General Order No. 11. This proclaimed May 30, 1868, as a nationwide “Decoration Day” to honor those who died in the Civil War. After World War I, the holiday expanded to honor all American service members who died in any war, not just the Civil War.  In 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act to create more three-day weekends for federal employees. This moved Memorial Day to the last Monday in May, effective in 1971, when it was also officially named “Memorial Day.” As one 1868 quote put it: “That Nation which respects and honors its dead, shall ever be respected and honored itself.”