Dive Brief:
States will need to develop electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure plans to access $5 billion in federal funding under a new program announced Thursday by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and Department of Energy (DOE). The program will allocate funds the 2021 infrastructure law set aside for the development of a national charging network.

The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program will make $615 million available to states in fiscal year 2022. A second, $2.5 billion competitive grant program for states, designed to boost charging access along alternative fuel corridors and in rural and underserved communities, will be announced later this year.

The Biden administration will provide states with guidance on the NEVI program that outlines allowable uses of the funds, where stations should be located and some required characteristics about their charging capacity, according to senior administration officials.