Electric Vehicles

The Mississippi Department of Transportation, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, and the Wyoming Department of Transportation recently released drafts of their electric vehicle or EV charging network development plans – networks funded by federal money through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure or NEVI formula program established by in February.

[Above photo by the Wyoming DOT]

The Mississippi DOT said that to receive its allocation of NEVI funds, the agency must submit an EV infrastructure deployment plan by August 1 to the Federal Highway Administration. That plan must include detail on EV charging infrastructure deployment, existing and future conditions, and public engagement, the Mississippi noted in a statement.

The agency is currently accepting comments on its plan through July 15.

Meanwhile, PennDOT launched a survey for the public to share feedback on the goals, infrastructure-prioritization, and program-administration components of the draft of its EV recharging plan. Comments on its plan are due by June 30.

“[WE are] committed to making future-focused investments in Pennsylvania to update our highway network to accommodate more electric vehicles and hybrids,” said PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian in a statement. “We have received public and stakeholder feedback throughout this process, which is vital to understanding wants and needs as this transformational technology takes hold.”

PennDOT expects to receive and distribute $171.5 million in funds for its EV charging infrastructure over the next five years through the NEVI formula program.

Finally, the Wyoming DOT issued a draft of its EV infrastructure plan that is open for comments through July 27.

The agency said it expects to receive an almost $24 million allocation from the NEVI formula program over the next five years to establish an EV charging network along its federally-designated alternative fuel corridors: Interstate 80, Interstate 25, and Interstate 90.

Once the FHWA certifies the EV infrastructure build-out along the interstates, Wyoming DOT can spend any remaining NEVI funding in areas outside of those specific interstate corridors. However, the agency stressed that roads or bridges are not eligible for NEVI funds and that no state funding will go towards installing, operating, or maintaining EV chargers deployed using NEVI funds.

Wyoming DOT Director Luke Reiner is seeking an exemption to the initial federal requirements to place EV charging stations every 50 miles and a maximum of one mile from an exit – an exemption due to the predominance of rural routes across Wyoming, projected limited initial EV adoption rates, and the overall system’s economic viability.

“We think this is a common-sense approach to bringing this infrastructure to Wyoming,” he noted in a statement. “We want any traveler, local or tourist, to be able to drive in our great state without worrying about whether the infrastructure is in place to support the type of vehicle they choose to drive.”

Additionally, Wyoming seeks to use NEVI funding to facilitate travel to popular tourist destinations. Tourism is the state’s second-largest industry, and major tourism destinations like Yellowstone National Park are off-corridor.

The Federal Highway Administration issued a notice of proposed rulemaking on June 9 to outline minimum standards and requirements for projects funded via the five-year $5 billion National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure or NEVI formula program launched in February.

[Above photo by the Arizona DOT]

That rulemaking seeks to support the build-out of a national EV charging network of 500,000 EV chargers by 2030, while also ensuring that the network is “user-friendly, reliable, and accessible to all Americans” yet also interoperable between different charging companies, with similar payment systems, pricing information, charging speeds, and more.

FHWA said its proposed rule would establish the groundwork for states to build federally funded charging station projects across a national EV charging network, an “important step” towards making electric vehicle charging accessible to all Americans. No matter what kind of EV a user drives, what state they charge in, or what charging company they plug into, the minimum standards will ensure a unified network of chargers with similar payment systems, pricing information, charging speeds, and more, the agency noted.

The proposed requirements will help states as they develop their EV deployment plans in concert with the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, established along with the NEVI program by the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act or IIJA enacted in November 2021.

“To support the transition to electric vehicles, we must build a national charging network that makes finding a charge as easy as filling up at a gas station,” explained U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in a statement. “These new ground rules will help create a network of EV chargers across the country that are convenient, affordable, reliable, and accessible for all Americans.”

Additionally, the U.S. Department of Energy – in coordination with USDOT through the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation – unveiled the Electric Vehicle Working Group or EVWG to make recommendations regarding the development, adoption, and integration of electric vehicles into America’s transportation and energy systems.

This advisory group will consist of 25 representatives, federal government employees, and special government employees who will compile reports related to the adoption of EVs to help ensure the sustainable integration of electric vehicles into the electric grid, prepare the workforce for more electric vehicles, and maintain global competitiveness in electric transportation infrastructure and technology. The DOE expects to publish the member nomination process by next week.

Additionally, FHWA said its proposed rule would require consistency regarding the installation, operation, and maintenance of NEVI formula program projects to provide the traveling public with reliable expectations for their charging experience. The proposed rule would further specify the required minimum density of provided chargers, payment methods, and requirements for customer support services.

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials is already assisting in this build-out effort via a memorandum of understanding signed in February with the National Association of State Energy Officials, USDOT, and DOE to coordinate nationwide investment in EV charging station infrastructure.

AASHTO also helped establish a free repository of information in March on EVs available to state agencies. Called the “EV States Clearinghouse,” it contains a variety of documents such as sample requests for proposals or RFPs, sample contracts, EV infrastructure siting, and assessment tools, plus other resources.

“The focus on electric vehicle charging infrastructure across our national transportation network is a huge step to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and we applauded the administration’s focus on this issue,” explained Jim Tymon, AASHTO’s executive director. “Many state departments of transportation have found success in their own EV charging infrastructure programs and know first-hand that collaboration between state energy offices and other agencies is instrumental to success.”

Several state DOTs recently achieved milestones in their efforts to establish more EV charging locations along highways in their respective regions. For example, the Oregon Department of Transportation recently celebrated the completion of Phase 1 EV charging upgrades to the West Coast Electric Highway. Meanwhile, the Connecticut Department of Transportation unveiled Level 3 “fast chargers” at the I-95 Southbound service plaza in Madison. Connecticut DOT added that more publicly available fast chargers should go online at service plazas in New Canaan, Greenwich, and Fairfield over the next several weeks.

Concurrently, the Arizona Department of Transportation is currently developing a statewide EV charging network plan it expects to submit to FHWA by August, with further plan refinements to follow.

Moreover, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development went a step further by hosting an outdoor EV exposition in April at its headquarters facility in Baton Rouge.

“Overall, we want to convert gas stations into fuel stations where a variety of fuel options, including electric charging, are available,” noted Dr. Shawn Wilson, Louisiana DOTD’s secretary and AASHTO’s 2021-2022 president, at the event. “In order to become a competitor in green energy, Louisiana must make changes, and this starts with our transportation industry.”

Wilson added that Louisiana DOTD plans to start developing the grant programs now through 2023, soliciting applications as well as monitoring and inspecting charging station installations while identifying and correcting weaknesses in the grant programs for use in future rounds of solicitations and awards.

The Connecticut Department of Transportation recently made universal Level 3 “fast chargers” that can fully recharge an electric vehicle or EV in less than 30 minutes available at the I-95 Southbound service plaza in Madison, CT.

[Above photo by the Connecticut DOT]

The agency said this is the first set of universal access fast chargers at a Connecticut service plaza, with additional publicly available fast chargers at service plazas in New Canaan, Greenwich, and Fairfield expected to become available over the next several weeks.

Tesla-specific chargers are already in place at many Connecticut service plazas, operated by Project Service LLC, but these new Level 3 fast chargers are universal, meaning any EV can plug in and charge up.

Applegreen Electric, a private organization with over 500 fast EV charging bays across the globe, funded their installation, Connecticut DOT noted. They are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and require a credit card for payment.

“These universal fast chargers make it easier for people to travel to and through Connecticut. With convenient access to I-95 and I-395, families and travelers can grab a coffee or snack, charge up, and get back on the road more quickly and enjoy their summer plans,” Connecticut DOT Commissioner Joe Giulietti explained in a statement.

“The future of transportation is green transportation, and by providing these chargers at our clean and convenient service plazas, we are making sure Connecticut is EV ready,” he said.

 “Scaling up EV deployment across our state is a major component of our strategy to achieve our Greenhouse Gas Emissions goals and mitigate the climate crisis before it’s too late,” added Katie Dykes, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. 

“The transportation sector is responsible for the majority of our greenhouse gas emissions (38 percent) and 66 percent of nitrogen oxide emissions, a significant contributor to harmful air pollution in our state,” she noted. “A key aspect of consumer adoption of EVs will be ease of use, ability to access charging infrastructure conveniently, and ability to charge quickly.”

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, the National Association of State Energy Officials, the U.S. Department of Transportation, and the U.S. Department of Energy signed a memorandum of understanding on February 23 to coordinate nationwide investment in EV charging station infrastructure.

Jim Tymon, AASHTO’s executive director, explained in a statement that the MOU provides a “framework for collaboration” in response to the $5 billion National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program established by USDOT and DOE on February 10 to build and operate a nationwide network of EV charging stations.

Funding for that new program comes from the $1.2 Trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act or IIJA signed into law in November 2021.

The Oregon Department of Transportation is committing $100 million over the next five years to build out Oregon’s public electric vehicle charging network on several major road corridors, as well as in local communities statewide.

[Above photo by the Oregon DOT]

The Oregon Transportation Commission approved that funding amount – which comes from a mix of federal and state sources – at its March 30 meeting.

The Oregon DOT said about two-thirds of the funding — $52 million from the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act plus a required 20 percent match — must be spent on EV charging infrastructure along “Alternative Fuel Corridors,” as per guidance from the Federal Highway Administration.

Alternative Fuel Corridors are roads approved by the FHWA on which states may use federal funding to build alternative fuel infrastructure. Electricity is an alternative fuel, and Oregon has seven corridors approved for federally funded EV charging: Interstates 5, 84, 82, and U.S. 26, 101, 20, and 97.

The remaining third of the money — $36 million — will be used to close EV infrastructure gaps beyond those seven corridors. More charging sites in rural and urban areas, underserved communities, and apartment complexes will allow more Oregonians to charge where they live, work, and play, noted Amanda Pietz, administrator for Oregon DOT’s policy, data & analysis division, in a statement.

“We know that range anxiety is a big factor in people’s reluctance to make the switch to electric vehicles, especially in more rural parts of the state,” said Pietz. “This investment will build Oregonians’ confidence that an EV can fit into their lives and get them where they need to go.”

She noted this $100 million investment focuses on building out charging infrastructure for light-duty EVs like cars, sport utility vehicles, and trucks because “demand is high and the technology is mature.”

Electrifying Oregon’s transportation system is a “key outcome” outlined in Oregon DOT’s Strategic Action Plan, and part of the state’s push to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation and address the climate change crisis.

“Money doesn’t surmount all barriers,” said Pietz. “Regulations and policies that benefit electrification play a role, too, and we rely on our partner agencies for help there. Couple that with our other work and investments in walking and rolling, bicycling, and congestion pricing, and we can move the needle on transportation emissions in a big way.”

In this episode of the Environmental Technical Assistance Program or ETAP Podcast, Leslie Aguayo and Jeff Allen discuss the need for ensuring “equitable access” to a national electric vehicle EV charging network – especially for those without access to regular charging at home, people who live in apartments, and rideshare drivers who will need to charge each day.

[Above photo by the Maine DOT]

Aguayo serves as climate equity program manager for the Greenlining Institute: An organization founded in 1993 that seeks to build a “just economy” that is “inclusive, cooperative, sustainable, participatory, fair, and healthy.”

Meanwhile, Jeff Allen is the executive director of Forth – a firm that works in partnership with state and local governments, among others, to build “lasting program and policy models” to expand equitable access to electric transportation in the U.S. and elsewhere.

In this ETAP podcast episode, Aguayo and Allen discuss the potential roles state departments of transportation and their environmental practitioners potentially play in the movement to increase equity in EV charging. They also talk about how the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs ACT or IIJA – enacted in November 2021 – can help further equitable EV charging access goals.

To listen to this podcast, click here.