Charging Networks in the US Get $5 Billion Investment
What does the bipartisan infrastructure bill mean for the future of EVs? Well, it looks like you might be able to charge up more easily.
Former presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg has been in the news quite a bit lately. Buttigieg was approved by the Senate as the Secretary of Transportation in February 2021, and since then has been working closely with the Biden administration to put the bipartisan
infrastructure bill
into action.As part of this effort to
halve US emissions
by 2030 and usher in a more efficient, more commuter-friendly infrastructure system, the Department of Transportation will be allocating a total of $5 billion to all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, to build electric vehicle charging stations.On February 10th Buttigieg spoke with
Car and Driver
regarding the responsibility he feels like the one heading the charge: “If we're going to use taxpayers' dollars to help private actors put in charging stations, then, of course, we need to make sure the citizen is getting good value out of it.”Electrifying incentives
MORE:
What is JOET?
That kind of sentiment has to be good to hear for those who own—or plan on buying—electric cars themselves, although the details of the plan haven’t been combed out yet.
Still, we now know this will be ironed out by the brand new Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, an initiative put together explicitly to enact the specifics of the bipartisan infrastructure plan. Essentially, a team from both camps has come together to ensure that the changes to come don’t prioritize either goal (efficient energy or transportation over the other). In short, they’re the ones handing out chunks of change to states.
We might not yet be specific, but Buttigieg was open about
broader goals
and what they could mean for the future of greener travel. High-speed charging stations, focused along major highways, accommodations for non-passenger EVs and trailers, and mostly, if not all, universal charging options are only the beginning.
But for now, you can always just plug in at home!
You don't have to be a hippy to own an EV
So what’s in this for the skeptics? The obvious plus is the elimination of so-called “range anxiety,” the fear of trekking too far out on rural stretches of road with nary a charging station on the map. With large delivery-based organizations like Amazon and (some) USPS delivery trucks going electric, one can rest assured that charging stations, no matter how off-the-beaten-path one’s home or business, will be within an accessible distance.
For the crowd reluctant to switch to electric, Buttigieg
noted
that the Federal government is also focusing on bringing down the cost of the average EV: “We got to get that sticker price down. That’s why we got to accelerate these things being produced on a widespread basis. And it’s why we want more tax incentives to help buy down that upfront cost.”One of those incentives looks like the Federal government covering up to 80% of charging costs, with the balance being billed to states.
This spring the JOET will divulge details on more tax incentives and government programs to make EV ownership attainable for lower-income families.
One small step for savings
It's an interesting time to be a car owner. Automation and electrification are the future, but while it's human nature to be hopeful for the future, it's also in our nature to be wary of change. One way to mitigate that fear is to take small steps slowly.
One change you can make right now, with or without tax incentives, is to trim the fat on your car insurance bill. (As in, up to $900 of savings annually!)
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switch plans or insurance providers
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