The program will provide nearly $5 billion over five years to help states create a network of EV charging stations along designated Alternative Fuel Corridors, particularly along the Interstate Highway System. The total amount available to states in Fiscal Year 2022 under the NEVI Formula Program is $615 million. States must submit an EV Infrastructure Deployment Plan before they can access these funds. A second, competitive grant program designed to further increase EV charging access in locations throughout the country, including in rural and underserved communities, will be announced later this year.
Today’s news follows President Biden’s announcement earlier this week on EV manufacturing, and the White House Fact Sheet on actions taken to date to prepare for this historic EV investment.
To access these new Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds – and to help ensure a convenient, reliable, affordable, and equitable charging experience for all users – each state is required to submit an EV Infrastructure Deployment Plan to the new Joint Office of Energy and Transportation that describes how the state intends to use its share of NEVI Formula Program funds consistent with Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) guidance.
These plans are expected to build on Alternative Fuel Corridors that nearly every state has designated over the past six years of this program. These corridors will be the spine of the new national EV charging network. The Joint Office will play a key role in the implementation of the NEVI Formula Program by providing direct technical assistance and support to help states develop their plans before they are reviewed and approved by the Federal Highway Administration, which administers the funding.
“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.”
The new Joint Office of Energy and Transportation also launched a new website this week at DriveElectric.gov. There, officials can find links to technical assistance, data and tools for states, and careers. To join the Joint Office and support a future where everyone can ride and drive electric, individuals are encouraged to apply to be an EV charging fellow.
As part of today’s announcement, FHWA released the NEVI Formula Program funding to states that will be available following approval of state plans for Fiscal Year 2022 in addition to the Program Guidance and a Request for Nominations for states to expand their existing Alternative Fuel Corridors. Here is state-by-state NEVI funding for Fiscal Years 2022-2026.
The Zero Emission Transportation Association (ZETA) commends the Biden-Harris Administration for releasing its plans to direct $5 billion to the states through the new National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program, which was established by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This funding will help states deploy electric vehicle charging infrastructure along the interstate highway system and other designated alternative fuel corridors. This afternoon, the Biden-Harris Administration will speak about the NEVI program and its other efforts to accelerate transportation electrification at the Department of Transportation Headquarters, and a representative from ZETA is attending.
Last month, ZETA submitted a public comment in response to the Federal Highway Administration’s Request For Information as it developed this NEVI formula program guidance. Additionally, ZETA met with senior officials in the U.S. Department of Transportation to share our priorities.
“The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is the single largest investment to date in electrifying the United States’ transportation system, and the NEVI program is the largest piece of that pie” said Joe Britton, the Executive Director of ZETA. “We are eager to continue working with the Department of Transportation as it finalizes its regulations for the NEVI program in the coming months.”
“A century ago, America ushered in the modern automotive era; now America must lead the electric vehicle revolution,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in a statement.
“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 Granholm in a statement.
“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.”
“EVs are among our most powerful tools for reducing pollution while creating new, good-paying American jobs as we rebuild our country’s infrastructure,” continued Britton. “This federally supported national EV charging network will inject billions of dollars into local economies across the country and make it easier for everyday Americans to drive EVs.”
NATSO, representing America’s truckstops and travel plazas, and SIGMA: America’s Leading Fuel Marketers, issued the following statement today in response to the Department of Transportation and the Department of Energy’s announcement that $5 billion will be made available under the new National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program established by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to build out a national electric vehicle charging network:
“We applaud the Biden Administration for deploying funds under the electric vehicle formula program in a manner that directs states to contract with the private sector to install and operate electric vehicle charging to create a network of EV charging stations along designated Alternative Fuel Corridors.
NATSO and SIGMA, which collectively represent more than 80 percent of fuel retailers in the United States, have long held that President Biden’s goal of establishing a nationwide network of electric vehicle charging stations is best achieved by harnessing the existing nationwide network of refueling locations.
In prioritizing EV charging at “travel centers, food retailers, and convenience stores,” the administration reinforced recent definitive guidance issued by FHWA clarifying that state transportation departments may not implement or permit others to implement commercial services, including EV charging stations, within the Interstate right-of-way. Any reinterpretation of the longstanding law prohibiting commercial services, including EV chargers, at rest areas, would undermine the business case for private sector investment.
Today’s announcement, coupled with yesterday’s meeting between the administration and the electric utilities, signal that the administration is willing to facilitate a partnership that benefits both sectors as well as consumers.
Our industry understands that electric vehicle drivers will expect their driving and refueling experience to be as safe, seamless and predictable as it is today. There is no ‘range anxiety’ today for drivers of gas-powered vehicles. That is achievable for electric vehicles as well.
Our industry offers competitive and transparent pricing, prime real estate and the amenities that drivers want and need. Thousands of truckstops and travel centers are conveniently located less than one mile from highway exits, are highly visible and provide the amenities such as security, food, and restrooms that customers need while taking 20 to 30 minute breaks during long-distance travel. Widespread availability of DC fast chargers at these facilities will make consumers more comfortable purchasing EVs.
Similarly, smaller-format fuel retailers are found throughout the country, including in communities where most residents cannot reliably charge their electric vehicles overnight. These businesses are also well-suited for fast, on-the-go charging that does not require a full fill-up.
Fuel retailers have been partnering with states for years to increase access to price-competitive alternative fuels by filling infrastructure gaps along the National Highway System, including along FHWA’s designated alternative fuel corridors through the National Highway Charging Collaborative. FHWA has previously highlighted the National Highway Charging Collaborative as part of its Alternative Fuel Corridors Best Practices.
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s just-released toolkit to help rural communities build out electric vehicle charging also acknowledged the critical role that our industry can play in expanding the EV charging market, citing EVs at truckstops as a ‘partnership success story.’
We look forward to continuing our discussions with the administration and state transportation departments as they implement funding to further encourage private-sector investment in electric vehicle charging.”