Energy, Transportation Departments announce five-year, $5B investment for national EV charging network

The U.S. Departments of Energy and Transportation announced Thursday that nearly $5 billion would be made available to build out a national electric vehicle charging network under the new National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program.

As part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the NEVI program will provide states with funding over the next five years to create a network of EV charging stations along designated Alternative Fuel Corridors, mainly along the Interstate Highway System. In 2022, the program will make $615 million available to states. However, the states must submit an EV Infrastructure Deployment Plan before accessing the funds.

“We are modernizing America’s national highway system for drivers in cities large and small, towns and rural communities, to take advantage of the benefits of driving electric,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is helping states to make electric vehicle charging more accessible by building the necessary infrastructure for drivers across America to save money and go the distance, from coast-to-coast.”

A second competitive grant program designed to increase EV charging access in locations throughout the country, including rural and underserved communities, will be announced later in the year, the departments said.

To access the funds and to ensure all users have a convenient, reliable, affordable, and equitable “charging experience,” the departments said each state will be required to submit their EV Infrastructure Deployment Plan to a new Joint Office of Energy and Transportation. The plan will describe how the state intends to use its share of the funding consistent with Federal Highway (FHWA) guidance.

The Joint Office said it expects the plans to build on “Alternative Fuel Corridors” designated by nearly every state over the past six years. These corridors will be the “spine” of the new national EV charging network. The Joint Office will play a key role in implementing the NEVI Formula Program by helping states develop their plans before their review and approval by the FHWA.

“Americans need to know that they can purchase an electric vehicle and find convenient charging stations when they are using Interstates and other major highways,” Deputy Federal Highway Administrator Stephanie Pollack said. “The new EV formula program will provide states with the resources they need to provide their residents with reliable access to an EV charging station as they travel.”