$521 Million in Grants for New EV Chargers in 29 States

The Department of Transportation is spending $521 million to build more electric vehicle (EV) charging stations across the United States. This money will help add over 9,200 new EV chargers in 29 states, two Tribes, and Washington, D.C. This is part of a larger plan to make EVs easier to use and to help reduce pollution.

More EV Chargers Across the Country

The goal of this funding is to make EV charging stations easier to find and use. The money will support charging for all types of vehicles, from small cars to big trucks, on highways and main roads. Cities like Milwaukee and Atlanta, as well as the Fort Independence Indian Community and the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in North Dakota, will get some of this funding. This will help more people have access to EV charging, no matter where they live.

Two Types of Projects for EV Chargers

The $521 million will be used for two kinds of projects:

• Community Projects: $321 million will go to 41 projects that will put EV chargers in local communities. For example, Milwaukee will use $15 million to put chargers at 53 spots in the city. Atlanta will use $11.8 million to set up a fast-charging hub at its airport with 50 chargers for rental cars, ride-share drivers, and airport shuttles.
• Corridor Projects: $200 million will go to ten projects to build fast-charging stations along major highways. These stations will help people drive long distances in their EVs without worrying about where to charge.

Funding from the Infrastructure Law

This money comes from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The law has two programs that fund these projects: the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Program and the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Program. These programs are helping to build more EV charging stations all over the country.

Since President Biden and Vice President Harris took office, the number of EV chargers available to the public has more than doubled to over 192,000. About 1,000 new chargers are added each week. The administration is working with private companies to build a strong network of EV chargers.

Addressing Criticism and Challenges

There has been some criticism about how fast the EV charging network is being built. Some people, like Senator Jeff Merkley, think it is taking too long. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) agrees that there have been delays and is working to speed things up.

Despite this, the Biden-Harris Administration is still focused on its goal to have 500,000 chargers across the country, with fast chargers no more than 50 miles apart on major highways.