The Biden Administration announced Sept. 27 that it has approved Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Deployment Plans for all 50 states and the District of Columbia under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program.
More than $7.5 billion will be distributed to state transportation departments to install electric vehicle charging infrastructure along alternative fuel corridors.
You may download your state’s EV deployment plan here.
It is critical that travel centers, truckstops and fuel retailers continue to engage with the federal Department of Transportation and state transportation departments as they implement EV charging plans.
State DOTs now will begin issuing Requests for Proposals (RFPs) to partner with the private sector for EV charging stations along alternative fuel corridors. Alternatively, they may seek public comment on incentivizing private sector engagement with the state.
NATSO members interested in investing in EV charging stations should watch for, and respond to, these RFPs.
WHO SHOULD I CALL?
NATSO is providing contact information for each State DOT EV representative so that you can reach out and inquire about the next steps states will take. Click here to access information on how to contact your state transportation department official.
DOT plans to soon finalize “ground rules” for how formula NEVI funds can be spent. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on proposed minimum standards and requirements for projects funded under the NEVI Formula Program.
NATSO continues to urge DOT to implement the NEVI grant program in a manner that does not simply invest public funds but drives policies that will positively shape the future of vehicle fast-charging markets.
NATSO specifically urged U.S. DOT to:
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Establish a transparent and uniform pricing structure across the charging station network, requiring NEVI-funded charging operators to display and base the price of electrical charge in dollars per kilowatt hour.
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Encourage states to allow EV charging station operators to sell electricity to EV drivers without being regulated as a utility.
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Require states to consider driver safety and convenience by locating chargers at sites that have on-site employees to call emergency personnel when needed and offer amenities that attract other highway travelers.
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Avoid bureaucratic hurdles that would inadvertently depress the market for electric vehicle charging.
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Flexibly administer the requirement that states locate electric vehicle charging stations every 50 miles along designated corridors.
CHARGE AHEAD PARTNERSHIP
NATSO also continues to engage with the Charge Ahead Partnership to advance the message that the best way to build out a nationwide network of EV charging stations for the long-term is through a market-based approach.
This coalition has grown to include more than 100 national organizations, businesses, and individuals who share the common goal of efficiently and effectively developing a charging network for electric vehicles (EVs) across the United States.
NATSO members are encouraged to join the Charge Ahead Partnership.
The Charge Ahead Partnership is a leading public voice on the need to ensure a market-based approach to EV charging.
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