National-Scale Fast-Charging Infrastructure Planning Integrating Geospatial Analysis, MCDM, and Power System Constraints

Eletromobility is increasingly recognized as a cornerstone of sustainable transport, yet its adoption remains uneven across regions. Addressing these challenges requires planning approaches that extend beyond urban centers and operate at the national scale to ensure equitable and coordinated deployment of fast-charging networks. This study develops an integrated framework that combines geospatial analysis, multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM), and power system evaluation to identify and prioritize fast-charging sites. The framework incorporates spatial suitability, socioeconomic and demand-driven priorities, and grid readiness under projected electric vehicle (EV) penetration scenarios. Its applicability is demonstrated through a national-scale case study of Costa Rica, encompassing the country’s socioeconomic conditions, electric grid, and national road network (NRN). The results demonstrate that such a strategy is both feasible and essential to supporting inclusive EV adoption across diverse territorial contexts, from metropolitan corridors to peripheral regions. While grounded in Costa Rica, the framework is designed to be transferable, providing a practical tool for other countries seeking to align EV infrastructure planning with short-, mid-, and long-term sustainability and decarbonization objectives in the private transport sector.