Last week the US Department of Transportation approved Maryland’s Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Deployment Plan, unlocking $63 million in funding.
Late last week, officials from the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) approved 34 state plans to expand the nation’s network of electric vehicle (EVs) charging stations. The move will see Maryland receive $63 million through FY2026, with $9 million set to be released in FY 2022. The development of a national network of EV charging stations is critical to meet state and federal goals to reduce emissions. Many cite the fear of not being able to find a charging station as reason for delaying the switch to an electric vehicle.
According to the Associated Press:
“It’s like the U.S. Postal Service. You need to be able to send mail everywhere, including places that are rural,” said Jeremy Michalek, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University and director of the university’s Vehicle Electrification Group.
“Even if that charger that’s in that rural area isn’t used as much every day, we still need the infrastructure to supply them.. We have gas stations that are used less in rural areas than they would be in a big city, but we need them for the demand.”
Besides the issue of charging stations, the initiative does not address the need for more clean power generation. Recently in California, residents were asked to limit EV charging during one of the peak travel seasons. The limit was primarily due to concerns regarding a recent heatwave, but critics rightly point to a lack of sufficient renewable/clean electricity generation to support the expanded adoption of EVs.
