EDITORS/NEWS DIRECTORS:
The Biden administration has approved plans from 34 states and Puerto Rico that detail how those locations will roll out their part of an ambitious national electric vehicle charging network.
The approval means $900 million in National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) funding will start flowing to states under President Joe Biden’s huge infrastructure law to create a national fast-charging network for electric vehicles. Building out a reliable and convenient network is critical to spur more adoption of the technology, which is itself key to reducing greenhouse emissions that cause global warming.
In practical terms, it means residents in some of those states could see more charging stations start popping up along major travel corridors as early as next summer. Biden has a goal of ultimately installing 500,000 chargers across America and building a network of fast-charging stations across 53,000 miles of freeways from coast to coast.
Experts say the federal dollars should kickstart more involvement from the private sector to fill in the gaps for EV charging across the U.S. Last year, electric cars were about 5% of new vehicle sales in the U.S. and made up about 0.9% of all vehicles in the nation.
Here are some tips and resources for localizing the story. Find AP's latest coverage here.
___
WHICH STATES’ PLANS WERE APPROVED THIS WEEK?
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
District of Columbia
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Mexico
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Puerto Rico
Rhode Island
South Dakota
Tennessee
Utah
Washington
Wisconsin
— You can find each state's plans and the approval letters here. Most plans include a map that shows which major freeways are designated to receive chargers. Here, for example, is the plan from Oregon, which includes a map on Page 3 showing where charging stations currently exist on freeways and where they will be added over the next five years.
— The list can also be viewed as a map here.
___
WHAT ABOUT THE STATES THAT AREN’T LISTED HERE?
If a state’s plan is not listed, it doesn’t mean that it won’t be approved. The Biden administration is reviewing the plans with the goal of getting to all of them by Sept. 30. States that submitted plans earlier got a first look.
___
HOW MUCH MONEY DID MY STATE GET?
The funding is over five years. You can find a list of the dollar amounts expected by each state here, as well as a breakdown of when that money will arrive.
___
ARE THERE ANY LIMITATIONS ON HOW THE MONEY CAN BE USED?
This funding is specifically for installing the most powerful chargers along major freeways that connect states. The goal of the NEVI program is to eliminate concerns about running out of power in the middle of a long trip — a worry that currently keeps many people from purchasing electric vehicles or using them on long road trips.
Under proposed guidelines, states would be required to install at least one four-port fast-charging station every 50 miles on these corridors and ensure they are within one mile of an off-ramp to address that issue.
___
ARE THERE ANY CONCERNS FROM THE STATES OVER HOW THE MONEY WILL BE SPENT?
Yes. A number of states with larger rural areas have raised concerns about proposed guidelines that would require a charging station every 50 miles. These states say there isn’t the electric infrastructure or demand to support stations in some areas. These states were allowed to ask for exceptions as part of their plan and many were granted by the Biden administration with a one-year window.
You can find PDFs of written public comments from state Department of Transportation officials in your state by searching for your state’s name and then the phrase “Department of Transportation” here.
___
HOW IS MY STATE DOING RIGHT NOW ON ITS ELECTRIC VEHICLE NETWORK?
The Associated Press has created two graphics for members showing 1) the number of registered electric vehicles per 100,000 people in states with approved plans and 2) the number of existing fast-charging ports at public charging stations in states with approved plans.
Use them in your reporting and embed them on your sites:
— Registered electric vehicles per 100,000 people in states with approved NEVI plans:
<iframe title="Registered electric vehicles per 100,000 people in states with approved NEVI plans" aria-label="Bar Chart" id="ap-chart-01dS4" src="https://interactives.ap.org/embeds/01dS4/2/" scrolling="no" width="100%" style="border:none" height="889"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(e){if(void 0!==e.data["datawrapper-height"]){var t=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var a in e.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r<t.length;r++){if(t[r].contentWindow===e.source)t[r].style.height=e.data["datawrapper-height"][a]+"px"}}}))}();</script>
— Registered electric vehicles per public fast charging port in states with approved NEVI plans
<iframe title="Registered electric vehicles per public fast charging port in states with approved NEVI plans " aria-label="Bar Chart" id="ap-chart-JIRE8" src="https://interactives.ap.org/embeds/JIRE8/3/" scrolling="no" width="100%" style="border:none" height="910"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(e){if(void 0!==e.data["datawrapper-height"]){var t=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var a in e.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r<t.length;r++){if(t[r].contentWindow===e.source)t[r].style.height=e.data["datawrapper-height"][a]+"px"}}}))}();</script>
___
WHAT ABOUT ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING NETWORKS THAT AREN’T ON HIGHWAYS?
An additional $2.5 billion in discretionary grants is available to fund electric vehicle charging infrastructure in economically disadvantaged communities, rural areas and urban cores. And Biden’s recently passed Inflation Reduction Act includes $3 billion to spur electric vehicle adoption and charging accessibility in disadvantaged communities.
Industry analysts and state and local officials say the private sector and public-private partnerships will also be crucial in deploying a sufficient EV charging network as more states transition away from gas-powered vehicles.
___
QUESTIONS FOR YOUR STATE OFFICIALS (some of these answers may be readily available by reading the plans ):
— How much demand do you anticipate for a fast-charging freeway network in your state?
— How many fast-charging stations currently exist along alternative fuel corridors in your state? Do they all meet the NEVI specifications or do they need to be upgraded?
— What concerns do you have in your state about the feasibility and/or cost associated with installing fast-charging EV stations in rural areas? Did you ask for any exemptions in your plan submission? Were those granted?
— Do you plan to apply for the additional competitive grants to boost EV charging station accessibility in urban areas and in disadvantaged communities? If so, how much will you seek and for which potential projects?
— Do all areas of your state have the electric infrastructure to support a build-out of the fast-charging EV station network? What are your state’s utilities doing, if anything, to facilitate the transition to electric?
