US Department of Transportation Approves Plans for Nationwide EV Charging Network
The Project is Expected to Cost $5 Billion and Take Five Years to Roll Out
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One of the biggest obstacles to adopting electric vehicles in the US has been the lack of reliable and easily accessible charging stations. While gas stations are readily available throughout the country, EV drivers often face an uphill battle when it comes to recharging their batteries. But according to the US Department of Transportation (USDOT), that could soon be less of a concern. The government organization reports that it has now approved plans to roll out electric charging stations in all 50 states, as well as Washington DC and Puerto Rico.
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The bipartisan infrastructure bill that passed in November 2021 allocated $5 billion to assist states in creating a charging network. To receive a share of those funds, each state was required to submit a proposal to the USDOT detailing plans for how the money will be spent to achieve the intended goal. Those submissions took months to complete and longer to review, but the USDOT has now wrapped up that phase of the project.
With each of the individual states’ plans now approved, work can begin on building the network. The charging stations will include a minimum of four DC Fast Chargers at each location, allowing drivers to recharge their batteries from zero to 80% in as little as 20 minutes.
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The USDOT estimates it will take up to five years to bring the network completely online, with federal funds covering 80% of the cost. Once completed, it will cover about 75,000 miles of highway stretching from coast to coast and beyond. The plan calls for the charging stations to be located within one mile of the interstate and spaced out every 50 miles along the route.
A robust electrical charging network will help ease the transition from gas-powered vehicles to more eco-friendly EVs. That will include electric motorhome and tow vehicles, which should become more common in the coming years. Additional chargers are already being installed in campgrounds and urban settings, helping to diminish range anxiety for EV owners.
