All 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico have submitted their plans to deploy electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced Tuesday.
Part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, states were required to provide plans for building out EV charging infrastructure as part of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program. Once submitted, the plans opened up access to the first round of funding for states to implement their plans and make electric vehicle charging accessible to all Americans.
“We appreciate the thought and time that states have put into these EV infrastructure plans, which will help create a national charging network where finding a charge is as easy as locating a gas station,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “We will continue to work closely with all fifty states, D.C. and Puerto Rico to ensure EV chargers across the country are convenient, affordable, reliable and accessible for all Americans.”
The on-time submission from the states demonstrates the nationwide commitment to build out EV charging infrastructures and to help accelerate adoption of electric vehicles while creating good jobs and combating climate change. Under the plan, the federal government will provide $5 billion over five years through NEVI Formula funding. Earlier this year, the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that outlined minimum standards and requirement to ensure the national EV charging network is user-friendly, reliable and accessible to all Americans.
“Today’s milestone in our plans to build an interconnected national EV charging network is proof that America is prepared to act on President Biden’s call to modernize the national highway system and help Americans drive electric,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “Our whole-of-government approach, made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and coordinated through the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, will boost local economies, strengthen our independence from the volatilities of fossil fuels, and ensure that electric vehicle charging deserts are a thing of the past.”