The Biden-Harris administration has officially commenced the acceptance of applications for the Electric Vehicle (EV) Reliability and Accessibility Accelerator program. This initiative, backed by up to $100 million in federal funding, aims to revamp and replace inoperative EV charging infrastructure.
Under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program, a provision stipulates that 10% of the $5 billion, established through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and managed by the Federal Highway Administration, will be reserved for grants to states and localities that require extra support in strategically deploying EV charging infrastructure. The initial round of funding is primarily directed at enhancing the dependability of the existing network through the repair or replacement of current EV charging infrastructure.
Gabe Klein, Executive Director of the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, emphasized the importance of meeting public expectations for seamless and reliable EV charging experiences. Klein stated, "We recognize that people anticipate public EV chargers to function flawlessly every time.
That's why we are adopting a multi-faceted approach that involves developing a capable workforce, monitoring reliability metrics, and collaborating with the industry to ensure compliance with the performance standards set for federally funded chargers earlier this year."
These targeted investments will complement substantial private sector investments and create well-paying jobs nationwide in the installation, maintenance, and repair of EV infrastructure. This endeavor will enhance the reliability of our existing charging network, which is a vital element of the administration's comprehensive strategy to establish a convenient, affordable, reliable, equitable, and domestically-produced national EV charging network.
Gabe Klein further noted, "The combination of this funding to repair and replace non-operational chargers, along with the endeavors of the ChargeX Consortium, is expected to substantially boost reliability over the next two years."
Details regarding eligible applicants and projects for the EV Reliability and Accessibility Accelerator program can be found in a Notice of Funding Opportunity released today. Interested parties are required to submit their applications by November 13, 2023.
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