The Biden administration has unveiled a $5 billion plan for electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

States can apply for the funds to create an “Alternative Fuel Corridor” on US highways.

The Biden administration has announced a $5 billion plan to assist states in constructing 500,000 EV charging stations by 2030, which is five times the current number. The goal is for EV owners to be able to find a charging station within 50 miles of their location in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. “It will help ensure that America remains the world leader in electric vehicles,” Biden said.

The plan is to expand on the “Alternative Fuel Corridor,” which has been established by 40 states along interstate highways across the country. The White House recently established a new agency called the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation to oversee the effort.

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The $5 billion will come from the new National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program, which will also distribute an additional $2.5 billion in discretionary grants later on. 

A total of $615 million will be distributed this year alone, with states having until August 1 to apply. The money can only be used for battery-electric vehicles only, not hydrogen or other alternative energy vehicles. States can team up with private enterprises to build and maintain the stations. 

Americans need to know that they can purchase an electric vehicle and find convenient charging stations when they are using Interstates and other major highways.

The aim with the charging network is to reassure potential EV buyers that they’ll be able to charge their cars while travelling. “Americans need to know that they can purchase an electric vehicle and find convenient charging stations when they are using Interstates and other major highways,” said Deputy Federal Highway Administrator Stephanie Pollack in a statement. 

The White House is also pushing for the charging stations to be built domestically. To that end, it touted a company called Tritium that plans to produce up to 30,000 DC fast chargers per year in Tennessee, creating 500 local jobs. The government will also direct 40 percent of funding to underserved and rural areas. The agency released a state-by-state disbursement plan that shows the largest funding levels going to Texas, California and Florida — the three most populous states.

It’s all part of a larger plan to reduce US carbon emissions, as the transportation sector is responsible for a third of greenhouse gas pollution. To that end, the Biden administration wants half the vehicles sold in the US to be EVs or plug-in hybrids by 2030.