Following a June court ruling, plans to roll out government-funded electric vehicle charging stations across the United States under a 2021 infrastructure law have continued, with dozens of states seeking federal funding under the program, Politico reported.
Experts have said that the continuation of the program, a rare survivor amid the Trump administration's dramatic U-turn on energy policy, has reflected a recognition that a growing number of drivers will be using EVs in the coming years, regardless of government incentives.
"If you look at the states that are putting their [charging] plans and their money back into play the soonest, it's really states that recognize their EV adoption rate is going to continue to climb," said Joshua Rodriguez of the nonpartisan American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, per Politico. "Red or blue or purple, it doesn't really matter."
Part of the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program earmarked $5 billion for states to use for the installation of electric vehicle charging stations.
When the Trump administration sought to quash the program earlier this year, a number of states sued to unlock the congressionally mandated funding. In June, a federal judge sided with the states, finding that the administration "likely violated the separation-of-powers doctrine" in withholding the money slated for EV charging stations.
Unlike in similar instances, the administration declined to appeal the district court's ruling. Instead, it chose to have the Department of Transportation rewrite the rules for how program funds could be used, according to Politico.
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As a result, at least 44 states and the District of Columbia have submitted their EV charging station plans. These states span the spectrum from deep red to deep blue, an apparent concession to the increasing popularity of EVs across the political divide.
For example, Texas has already opened 10 EV charging stations under the program, with more than 200 additional stations in development. Under the restored NEVI program, the state will receive $350 million in federal money to fund the construction, Politico reported.
Regardless of the policies coming out of Washington, driving an EV saves you money and helps the environment. According to the Department of Energy, electric vehicle drivers save thousands of dollars per year on gas while also generating significantly less planet-heating pollution per mile than vehicles that use internal combustion engines.
To push the cost savings and environmental benefits of driving an EV even further, you can charge an EV with the help of a home solar system. This is cheaper and cleaner than doing so at a public charging station or via the electrical grid.
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