In accordance with the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program funded by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, over two-thirds of the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Deployment Plans from States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico have been approved earlier than expected as reported by CleanTechnica.
The planned electric vehicle chargers along 53,000 miles of highway will now be funded for over $900 million in NEVI formula funds from FY22 and FY23.
A convenient and inexpensive EV charging network will be developed across the nation with the aid of the NEVI formula funds granted by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Additionally, this law allows $5 billion to be accessible by these states for over five years to aid in achieving Biden’s target of 500,000 EV charging stations throughout the United States by 2030.
As mobility now contributes more than a quarter of all emissions, rapid electric vehicle adoption is truly significant for the country to achieve its climate goals.
| “Today, with funding in President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we are taking an important step to build a nationwide electric vehicle charging network where finding a charge is as easy as locating a gas station,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “With the first set of approvals we are announcing today, 35 states across the country — with Democratic and Republican governors — will be moving forward to use these funds to install EV chargers at regular, reliable intervals along their highways.” “Making electric vehicle charging accessible to all Americans is critical to achieving a transportation sector that improves our environment and lessens our dependence on oil and gas,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “This first group of 35 plans from States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico now have the green light to build their pieces of the national charging network to ensure drivers can spend less on transportation costs while commuting confidently by charging along the way.” |
State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) started hiring people and carrying out tasks directly associated with the creation of their plans ahead of today’s approval. Notably, states now have various options to use their NEVI Formula funding for projects related to vehicle charging. This includes but is not limited to the following as listed by CleanTechnica:
· upgrade of existing and construction of new EV charging infrastructure
· operation and maintenance costs of these charging stations
· installation of on-site electrical service equipment
· community and stakeholder engagement
· workforce development activities
· EV charging station signage
· data sharing activities
· related mapping analysis and activities.
According to proposed EV charging standards, electricians installing EV charging infrastructure must be certified through the non-profit, industry-recognized Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program.
“Thanks to the commitment of state leaders who worked hard to develop EV charging networks that work for their residents, we were able to approve these state charging plans quickly and ahead of schedule,” said Acting Federal Highway Administrator Stephanie Pollack. “We are reviewing the remaining plans and on track to finish the process by our target date of September 30, if not sooner. Our shared work to bring President Biden’s vision for a national electric vehicle network to communities across America is too important to wait.”
It is worth noting that as part of President Biden’s economic plan, the NEVI formula program is only one of the funding options available to accelerate the electric vehicles uptake and achieve its climate goals.
