Query alternative fuel and EV charging station locations using the NLR (formerly NREL) Alternative Fuel Stations API

Steps

1. Obtain a free API key by registering at developer.nlr.gov; the key is required for all requests (the former developer.nrel.gov domain was fully retired May 29, 2026 with no redirect — only the hostname changed, keys issued before the migration continue to work unchanged)
2. Call the station locator endpoint: GET https://developer.nlr.gov/api/alt-fuel-stations/v1.json?api_key=<API_KEY> with location parameters (location as city/state/zip or latitude+longitude with radius)
3. Filter by fuel type using the fuel_type parameter (e.g., ELEC for electric, CNG, LPG, HY for hydrogen); combine with status=E for open stations only
4. Parse the fuel_stations array in the response; for EV stations, key fields include ev_connector_types (CHADEMO, J1772, TESLA, etc.), ev_network, ev_level1_evse_num, ev_level2_evse_num, and ev_dc_fast_num
5. Use the GET /v1/{id}.json endpoint to retrieve details for a single station by its station ID when you need authoritative data for a known location