The Biden-Harris Administration has earmarked $46.5m to enhance electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure across 16 states and Washington, D.C., highlighting a significant step towards bolstering EV charging performance, resiliency, and reliability.
This funding, targeting 30 projects, aims to promote equitable access to clean transportation solutions and expand the clean energy workforce.
As the number of EVs on US roads has more than quadrupled since President Biden’s tenure began, these investments are pivotal for achieving the Administration’s ambitious goals of establishing a national network of 500,000 public EV charging ports by 2030 and reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.
US Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said: “President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda is supporting the buildout of an affordable and reliable EV charging infrastructure built by America’s workers.”
Addressing climate change by electrifying America’s transportation sector is crucial for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This transition is expected to improve health outcomes, lower fuel and maintenance costs, and enhance national energy security.
The Federal Highway Administration, through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program and the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Program, will utilise this funding. These programmes are supported by the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation (Joint Office) and are part of a broader $7.5bn initiative under President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to develop a reliable and convenient national EV charging network.
The $46.5m announcement by the Joint Office focuses on critical areas such as enhancing EV charging resiliency, promoting community-driven models and workforce development, and improving EV charging performance and reliability. These efforts include supporting clean transit and school bus deployment, bolstering charger resiliency against natural disasters, and accelerating workforce development to extend clean transportation benefits to various communities, including rural, urban, and tribal areas.
Furthermore, the funding will increase charger reliability through the validation and testing of charging equipment, advance new business models for electrified mobility, and create job and training opportunities for underserved communities.
The initiative, funded through President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, aims to expedite the electrification of the nation’s transportation sector and encourage private sector investments in clean transportation, marking a transformative step towards a sustainable future.
Joint Office of Energy and Transporation executive director Gabe Klein said: “The Joint Office of Energy and Transportation is proud to fund these game-changing clean transportation projects in communities across the country.
“These investments ensure we can meet unique local needs, create good-paying jobs for everyone, innovate new business models, test products thoroughly and work towards our goal of making it easy for everyone to ride and drive electric.”