; (ix) to investigate and implement programs to improve the access to, and affordability of, electric vehicles for low-income populations; (x) (I) to advance best practices for manufacturers of electric vehicles, charging equipment, and systems; and (II) to embed those practices in programs and grant opportunities of the Department of Energy to leverage competitive market electric vehicle products and incentivize more rapid and widespread adoption; (xi) to assist electric utilities and transit agencies in collaboratively planning an electrified fleet; (xii) to investigate the use of fleet, transit, and municipal vehicle batteries as power sources for community shelter facilities during emergencies; (xiii) to develop analytical tools and financial models to assist electric utilities and transit agencies in assessing electric utility and infrastructure requirements to support selected transit vehicle technologies and charging profiles, including analytic tools— (I) to optimize the total cost of ownership; (II) to develop electrification route maps and transition plans, with quantitative estimates of the population-weighted reductions in pollutant exposure from electrification of specific routes, including criteria pollutants and new pollutants of concern; and (III) to articulate the strategy and timelines for transitioning to zero-emission vehicles; (xiv) to investigate scenarios for the sharing of battery assets for the purpose of maximizing cost-performance and battery use, including— (I) scenarios that optimize shared usage between transit agencies and electric utilities over the lifecycle of the battery; (II) incentives for an entity (such as an electric utility) to provide funding to reduce initial premium costs by— (aa) owning the battery of a transit agency transit vehicle; and (bb) charging the battery using smart charging; and (III) enabling the entity to reposition the battery into stationary use after the battery has served the expected life of the battery in mobility use