The White House on Monday released its EV Charging Action Plan, outlining steps toward a previously announced goal of a national network of 500,000 charging stations.
The plan calls for establishment of a Joint Office of Energy and Transportation to coordinate work by the Department of Energy (DOE) and Department of Transportation (DOT) on charging infrastructure, serving as a “one stop shop” for stakeholders and state and local governments to interface with the federal charging effort, a White House press release said.
The DOT will also issue guidance to states on charging-station placement no later than February 11, and will publish standards for charging equipment in the national network no later than May 13, the release said. The goal is to establish a “more uniform approach” than the current mix of different plug types, payment methods, and data policies, according to the White House.
Porsche electric-vehicle charging station
In November, the DOT and DOE also released a request for information regarding United States manufacturing of charging hardware as a first step toward ensuring that charging stations for the national network can be built domestically.
The plan also includes a sixth round of Alternative Fuel Corridors designations. Created in 2015, the Alternative Fuel Corridors program recognizes stretches of highway with significant infrastructure to allow regular travel by alternative-fuel vehicles—including EVs.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes $5 billion in formula funding for states to build out the network, with 10% set aside each year for the federal government to provide grants to states to help fill gaps in the network, according to the White House.
Electrify America Jeep 4xe Charging Network
Biden’s infrastructure plan also calls for investments in supply chains and factories to build more EVs and batteries in the U.S., point-of-sale rebates and tax incentives, and many other EV-friendly initiatives.
The administration also announced last week a goal of making all new light-duty vehicle purchases for the federal fleet electric by 2027, and to make all federal vehicle acquisitions electric by 2035. A report published in September said shifting the federal fleet to EVs could save taxpayers $4.6 billion by 2030.
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