Biden Administration Releases $1.5 Billion for Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Along Highways

An EV Go station for charging electric vehicles in Irvine, Calif., on March 25, 2022. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

All 50 states in the United States received final approval Tuesday to begin construction on a nationwide network of thousands of electric vehicle (EV) chargers covering approximately 75,000 miles of highway across the country.

The Transportation Department said in a press release that it has approved the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Deployment Plans from the last set of 17 states, meaning that all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico will now have access to all fiscal year 2022 and 2023 National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program funding, totaling more than $1.5 billion for those two years.

The program provides $5 billion over five years and is aimed at helping to build EV chargers covering thousands of miles of highway across the United States, placing one roughly every 50 miles (80 kilometers) along interstate highways.

The NEVI Formula Program was established and funded by President Joe Biden’s infrastructure act in an effort to get more Americans to drive EVs, which are significantly more expensive than traditional combustion engine vehicles.

According to automotive research company Kelley Blue Book, the average price of a new electric vehicle in July 2022 was more than $66,000, while the average price of a new gasoline powered vehicle was $48,182.

EVs also have issues with range and reliability. Standard chargers take a few hours to fully charge one vehicle. The NEVI funding requires installation of faster, more powerful charging stations along highways, but even those take a full hour to charge.

Some states have noted risks of increasing the number of EV chargers across the country, including a lack of electricity grid capacity, supply chain shortages, and concerns over fairness, with those who live in wealthier areas in cities like New York and Chicago reportedly having better access to charging stations that those in poorer or more rural communities.

Gas Prices Remain High

Meanwhile, gas prices have soared in 2022, with the national average coming in at $3.77 per gallon as of Sept. 28, according to AAA. That’s up from $3.19 at the same time last year, although the cost is even higher in Western states like California, where drivers are having to fork out $6.04 per gallon.

Biden has demanded that gas stations bring down prices at the pump, and the president has continued to focus on his goal of ensuring that half of all new vehicles sold in 2030 are zero-emissions vehicles to help reach his goal of reducing emissions by 50 to 52 percent below 2005 levels by 2030.

It is not exactly clear how many EV charging stations the funds will support but construction of new ones could begin by next spring.

“America led the original automotive revolution in the last century, and ... we’re poised to lead in the 21st century with electric vehicles,” said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, adding that the plans will “help ensure that Americans in every part of the country—from the largest cities to the most rural communities—can be positioned to unlock the savings and benefits of electric vehicles.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.