As part of the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, federal funds were authorized to support the continued development of electric vehicle (EV) chargers. Iowa is joining with many other states in developing plans to create an EV charging network along Interstates 29, 35, 80, and 380. Our state federal funding for 2022 is $7.6 million dollars with the overall 5-Year National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Federal Funding at $51.4 million dollars.
Iowa’s Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Deployment plan was submitted to the federal Joint Office of Energy and Transportation for review on August 1, 2022. Pending review, adjustments may be made prior to certification by the Federal Highway Administration by no later than September 30, 2022. After certification, there will be many details to work out regarding program implementation and administration; hence, it is anticipated that an official announcement will occur this winter on the availability of funding and what the process entails for seeking those funds.
As an overview, NEVI funded and EV Plans and charging infrastructure must:
- Be open to public and commercial fleet operators
- Use funds for electric vehicle charging stations along designated corridors
- Connect to the electric grid and be spaced no more than 50 miles apart and less than one mile from Interstates and highway corridors
- Be near restrooms, small businesses, and other amenities
- Address needs for electric vehicle charging infrastructure in rural corridors and under-served or disadvantaged communities
- Provide long-term operation and maintenance
- Include existing electric vehicle charging infrastructure programs and incentives
- Consider public-private or private investment partnerships
- Allow flexibility for future upgrades based on power levels and charging speeds
- Adhere to Joint Office of Energy and Transportation standards and requirements
- Consider consumer protection, cyber-security, domestic manufacturing, emergency evacuation planning, environmental permitting, resilience, and terrain-related issues
For more information on this, the Iowa DOT has created the following public portals:
- Iowa Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Deployment Plan’s vision and goals: https://iowadot.gov/iowaevplan/Overview#vg
- To receive project updates, complete the Iowa DOT form: https://iowadot.gov/iowaevplan/Share-Your-Thoughts
- Send questions regarding this program to:
Iowa.EVPlan@iowadot.us
Reach out to the government contract specialist in your area for details on the NEVI Program and opportunities as they are released.