Making sure that the charging infrastructure is up to date is a critical component of the transition to electric vehicles. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Act allocated $5 billion over five years to assist states in installing chargers along highways, and that process has just taken an important step forward.
The Department of Transportation has approved electric vehicle charging plans for all 50 states, as well as Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. According to Reuters, the proposals cover 75,000 miles of highway.
MORE FROM RAVZGADGET: Mercedes-Benz Assures The Electric G-Class Will Arrive In 2024
As a result of the DOT’s approval, the Biden administration has unlocked more than $1.5 billion in funding for state EV charger projects. The funds will cover up to 80% of EV charger installation costs, with the remainder covered by states and private entities.
The DOT announced earlier this month that it had approved plans from 35 states, but that all of them needed to be approved before it could begin offering funding.
It is unclear how many chargers will be supported by the funding, but Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stated earlier this year that states will be required to meet certain standards.
According to the DOT, states should install DC Fast Chargers, and stations should have at least four ports. On interstate highways, EV chargers should be available every 50 miles. They should also be within a mile of major highways.
Private companies such as Tesla and General Motors are constructing their own charging networks. However, having public infrastructure at regular intervals along interstate highways is also important.
MORE FROM RAVZGADGET: Mercedes’ F1 Team Used Biofuel To Cut Freight Carbon Emissions By 89%
For what it’s worth, rapid expansion of EV chargers with public funding contrasts sharply with broadband deployment under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act.
The Commerce Department was unable to allocate any of the $42.5 billion earmarked by the legislation for bolstering broadband infrastructure and closing the digital divide last month because it did not have adequate maps from the Federal Communications Commission at the time.
