DOT Approves Plan to Expand EV Charging Stations Across the Country — What to Know

The Biden administration's goal is to eventually build a nationwide network of 500,000 electric vehicle chargers.

More electric vehicle (EV) charging stations will be popping up across the United States, as the Department of Transportation approved expansion plans for all 50 states.

The new plans allow all 50 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico to access more than $1.5 billion in funding to build EV chargers that will eventually cover about 75,000 total miles of highway, according to the DOT. The funding is part of the Biden administration's Infrastructure Law, which passed last year and will make $5 billion available over five years.

Biden’s goal is to eventually build a nationwide network of 500,000 EV chargers, according to the White House. The administration also wants to see half of all new vehicles sold in 2030 to be zero-emissions vehicles.

“America led the original automotive revolution in the last century, and today, thanks to the historic resources in the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we’re poised to lead in the 21st century with electric vehicles,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement, adding the money will “help ensure that Americans in every part of the country – from the largest cities to the most rural communities — can be positioned to unlock the savings and benefits of electric vehicles.”

With the plans approved, each state can now get reimbursed for charging-related projects, including upgrading existing chargers and constructing new ones as well as for the operation and maintenance costs of these charging stations and related mapping analysis.

“Every single state, D.C. and Puerto Rico are working to leverage the investments from the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to expand domestic electric vehicle charging across America,” Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm said in the statement. “President Biden is leading the shift to electrify transportation — ensuring drivers can commute and charge confidently and affordably, and lessening our oversized reliance on fossil fuels while combatting climate change.”

Electric vehicles have gotten more and more popular with several companies investing in the cars, including rental company Hertz, which will order up to 175,000 more electric vehicles as part of an agreement with General Motors and has already ordered 100,000 vehicles from Tesla.