DETROIT — President Joe Biden announced Wednesday that Ohio will be able to tap into federal funding to build its electric-vehicle infrastructure sooner than expected.
Ohio is among the first group of 35 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, that will be able to use National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program, which is part of the infrastructure act approved in late 2021.
These states can now use more than $900 million in NEVI formula funding to help build EV chargers across approximately 53,000 miles of highway across the country.
In Ohio, the first priority will be installing high-powered chargers along the approximately 1,867 miles of designated electric-vehicle corridors in the state. Ohio will be able to spend about $50.6 million in fiscal year 2022 and fiscal year 2022 funding to build the charging network.
The president made the announcement during his speech at the the North American International Detroit Auto Show.
Prior to the administration's approval, state departments of transportation had been able to begin planning and hiring staff to plot out their state's electric-vehicle infrastructure.
After the plan was approved, states can now be reimbursed for those costs.
States can tap NEVI funding for projects that are directly related to charging electric vehicles, including:
- Upgrade of existing and construction of new EV charging infrastructure
- Operation and maintenance costs of these charging stations
- Installation of on-site electrical service equipment
- Community and stakeholder engagement
- Workforce development activities
- EV charging station signage
- Data sharing activities
- Related mapping analysis and activities
More on WTOL: