OVERLAND PARK, KS  Black & Veatch announces it is joining the U.S. Department of Energy's Workplace Charging Challenge to promote access to workplace electric vehicle charging stations across the nation. The engineering and construction company's 41 charging stations at its Kansas City, Kansas, -area headquarters building make Black & Veatch one of the region's top providers of workplace charging.

The DOE's Workplace Charging Challenge calls upon America's employers to commit to provide plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) charging access to employees. Partners in the program commit to assessing employee demand for PEV workplace charging, and develop and execute a plan to provide PEV charging access.

Black & Veatch already has a strong commitment to electric vehicle technology. In addition to its leading deployment of employee charging stations, Black & Veatch is active in the design and construction of high-speed fast charging EV infrastructure throughout North America.  

"Joining the DOE's challenge demonstrates the high value we place on making this technology available to Black & Veatch professionals," said Paul Stith, Solution Lead for Black & Veatch's Smart Integrated Infrastructure initiative. "Companies that provide charging stations fill an important gap in the nation's PEV charging infrastructure. Charging at work can potentially double the daily commuting range for a PEV driver and at the same time their vehicle becomes an important flexible asset for the modern utility grid."

The company will sign the DOE's Charging Challenge pledge in conjunction with National Drive Electric Week. Black & Veatch will host an electric vehicle demonstration event at its world headquarters in Overland Park, Kansas. Employees and the public will be able to talk to EV owners and test-ride various models from vendors. The event's goal is to answer questions people have about operating and owning electric vehicles.