The Biden-Harris Administration recently announced $623 million in grants to help build out electric vehicle (EV) charging networks across the U.S. The grants are expected to help create jobs and ensure more drivers can charge their electric vehicles where they live, work, and shop.
This is a critical part of the Biden Administration’s goal of building out convenient, affordable, reliable and made-in-America national EV charging networks, including at least 500,000 publicly available chargers by 2030.
EV sales have more than quadrupled under the Biden Administration, while the number of publicly available charging ports has increased almost 70 percent and there are more than 4 million EVs on the roads.
The recently announced grants were the result of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s $2.5 billion Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Discretionary Grant Program, a competitive funding program. It will fund 47 EV charging and alternative-fueling infrastructure projects in 22 states and Puerto Rico, including construction of approximately 7,500 EV charging ports.
The CFI program complements the $5 billion National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) formula program to build the “backbone” of fast charging for fleets and personal vehicles along U.S. highways. Meanwhile, the NEVI program has helped open new charging stations in Ohio and New York while Pennsylvania and Maine have broken ground on theirs.
“America led the arrival of the automotive era, and now we have a chance to lead the world in the EV revolution—securing jobs, savings, and benefits for Americans in the process,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement. “This funding will help ensure that EV chargers are accessible, reliable, and convenient for American drivers, while creating jobs in charger manufacturing, installation, and maintenance for American workers.”
As part of this announcement, the Federal Highway Administration awarded $311 million to 36 “community” projects, to invest in EV charging solutions and hydrogen fueling infrastructure in urban and rural communities. These include convenient and high-use locations including schools, parks, libraries and multi-family housing
An additional $312 million in funding will go to 11 “corridor” recipients whose projects are located along roadways designated as Alternative Fuel Corridors. These projects will fill gaps in the core national charging and alternative-fueling network.
Grants announcement could impact 2024 EV Charging Summit & Expo
The announcement of more than $600 in grants to support EV charging infrastructure will not only play a key role in the EV industry, but also the upcoming 2024 EV Charging Summit & Expo in Las Vegas. The event, the largest EV infrastructure trade show in North America, will feature more than 120 speakers and 200 exhibiting companies and organizations. All of which will look to leverage these newfound grants to help build the new EV economy.
“These grants, and the USDOT’s larger commitment to building EV infrastructure in the U.S., are going to be the talk of the event,” Luke Vinci, president of MVP Media Network, which hosts the EV Charging Summit said in a statement. “Many of our exhibitors were already planning to unveil their newest and most innovative technologies at the event. Today’s grant announcement will only increase that urgency. The future of the EV charging sector is going to be shaped by these grants and by the discussion and collaboration they inspire at the EV Charging Summit in March.”
The EV Charging Summit & Expo in Las Vegas looks to provide a dynamic platform for industry players to discuss, collaborate, and showcase the latest advancements in EV charging, smart charging technology, fleet charging solutions and more. As the nation gears up for a transformative era in clean transportation, the convergence of the Department of Transportation’s grant and the upcoming summit marks a pivotal moment in the acceleration of the EV revolution and the future of fleet charging.
For more information about the EV Charging Summit & Expo, including registration details and sponsorship opportunities, visit EVchargingsummit.com.
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