You Can't Solve EV Charging Delays You Can't See

States and utilities are spending billions to expand publicly accessible electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure. But awarding funding is only the first step. The harder task is knowing, project by project, what is getting built, what is falling behind and where intervention is needed before delays become costly. 

Periodic status updates aren't enough. Program administrators need to spot bottlenecks, distinguish isolated setbacks from systemic problems and act before projects stall. 

EV charging projects involve dozens of moving parts 

Getting a public EV charging station from grant award to operation requires coordination among utilities, permitting agencies, site hosts, engineers, contractors, equipment manufacturers and network providers. Delays in utility upgrades, permitting, equipment delivery, weather or workforce availability can cascade through the project schedule because many milestones depend on what comes before. 

Looking at projects one at a time isn't enough 

At the individual project level, a permitting delay or late equipment delivery may look isolated. Across hundreds of projects, patterns begin to emerge. If dozens of projects are waiting on utility service design, permits or equipment deliveries, administrators may be facing a systemic issue rather than unrelated project delays. 

Data insights turn delays into decisions 

If multiple projects face utility coordination delays, administrators can provide technical assistance or engage utilities earlier. If permitting delays are concentrated in one jurisdiction, agencies can work with local officials to streamline processes. If equipment shortages affect multiple projects, administrators can approve alternatives or adjust timelines. 

Over time, these patterns can also inform application requirements, project timelines and other improvements to future funding rounds. 

How California put EV infrastructure progress tracking into practice 

The California Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Project (CALeVIP), administered by the Center for Sustainable Energy (CSE), shows how construction tracking can support both day-to-day project management and long-term program performance.  

As the nation's largest statewide EV charging incentive program, CALeVIP has managed thousands of charging projects involving utilities, permitting agencies, contractors and site hosts. To improve visibility across those projects, CSE developed the Caret® Construction Progress Tracker specifically for EV infrastructure projects. 

Applicants report progress against standardized milestones for permitting, utility coordination, site readiness, construction and energization. These milestones create clear expectations and help program teams identify missed deadlines, follow up on stalled projects and determine where additional support is needed.  

For example, progress data across CALeVIP projects revealed that electrical equipment delivery timelines were delaying otherwise viable charging installations. Rather than treating those projects as isolated cases, CSE coordinated with the California Energy Commission and provided extensions and additional support to affected applicants. As a result, projects could complete construction and receive final approval rather than lose reserved funding because of supply-chain delays outside their control. 

Construction tracking, combined with stronger applicant readiness requirements and closer stakeholder coordination, contributed to measurable improvements in 2026 from earlier CALeVIP projects. Results included: 

• Payment timelines shortened by 60%.
• Cancellations declined 35%.
• The fastest projects moved from award to energization in as little as 40 days. 

Centralized progress tracking can also reduce the administrative burden of managing a large portfolio. In California, CPT has supported more than $80 million in EV infrastructure investment and helped reduce administrative time by nearly a third. 

Turning construction data into better programs 

Funding gets an EV charging project started. Visibility, accountability and timely intervention help get it across the finish line. 

Tracking construction progress across projects helps administrators spot risks early, address common barriers and keep projects moving. Over time, those same insights can improve application requirements, project timelines, stakeholder coordination and future funding rounds. 

The result is stronger programs that learn from each project and get more chargers into service sooner.