White House To Build EV-Charging Corridors On Highways As Part Of $5B Funding

While the electric vehicle (EV) market has picked up in recent years, many drivers are still hesitant to transition to eco-friendly vehicles due to the lack of access to charging ports.

In order to make chargers more accessible and, in turn, encourage the adoption of EVs, the US Departments of Energy and Transportation have announced a new US$5 billion plan to fund their expansion.

According to Insider, the Joe Biden Administration aims to build 500,000 public chargers by 2030, which would see a significant increase over the 100,000 plugs available today.

The initial focus will be on building more chargers along ‘Alternative Fuel Corridors’, which are interstate highways designated to make up “the spine of the new national EV charging network.”

When a state has “fully built out” its corridors, it will then turn its attention to installing chargers in public locations including schools, parking lots, and transit stations. 

The initiative could save the average driver (with an EV) up to US$1,000 each year which would’ve typically gone to paying for gas, explained President Biden. 

CNBC reported that under the plan, each state would be required to submit its proposal to the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation by August 1, 2022. The Federal Highway Administration will then approve those plans by September 30.

“Building out a national network of charging stations will mean less pollution, more jobs, and cleaner cars,” said Elizabeth Gore, Senior Vice President for Political Affairs at the Environmental Defense Fund.

“It will also allow more Americans to skip paying at the pump by making electric vehicles a practical choice for more working families,” she added.

[via Insider and CNBC, cover image via Andrius Aleksandravicius | Dreamstime.com]