Transportation, Energy Departments Invest $5B in Electric Vehicle Charging Network

The departments of Energy and Transportation have earmarked $5 billion for the buildout of a national electric vehicle charging infrastructure, including the necessary networks for data collection, access and reliability.

DOE said the funding will be made available under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program, which the Biden administration established through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

One of the program’s objectives is to set up charging stations along Alternative Fuel Corridors designated by the USDOT’s Federal Highway Administration, DOE said Thursday.

The stations will support plug-in charging and refueling of hydrogen, propane and natural gas, according to DOE’s Alternative Fuels Data Center.

Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said the federal government will work with states, labor organizations and the private sector to make electric vehicle charging more accessible to the public.

“A century ago, America ushered in the modern automotive era; now America must lead the electric vehicle revolution,” the secretary said.

States may access the NEVI Formula Program funding by submitting an electric vehicle infrastructure deployment plan to the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation. The plan must describe how the state government intends to use the funds to implement the FHWA’s guidance.

DOE and USDOT established the joint office in December 2021 to implement the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s investments in electric vehicle charging. 

In a previous press release, DOE said that the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation will focus on addressing the lack of charging access in rural, disadvantaged and hard-to-reach locations.

The office will also contribute to training and certification programs aimed at creating good-paying jobs in the sector, DOE added.

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