Federal Government Pledges $5 Billion for Electric Car Charging

A $5 billion federal investment will contribute to state efforts to install electric vehicle charging stations along interstate highways and major corridors.

2 minute read

February 11, 2022, 8:00 AM PST

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Electric Vehicle Charging

MikesPhotos / Pixabay

The Biden administration has proposed a $5 billion investment in electric car charging with the goal of making electric vehicle infrastructure more accessible in more places, reports Ian Duncan in the Washington Post. "Officials say the federal funding is aimed at standardizing charging systems so drivers have an experience comparable to finding a gas station on a road trip." The investment falls short of the $39 billion that experts estimate is needed to build out a national public charging system by 2035, adds Duncan.

Electric vehicles are a tiny fraction of annual sales and establishing a viable network of chargers — the administration wants 500,000 — is widely seen as a vital step to convince more Americans to switch out their gas-powered cars. But it’s a job that must account for the needs of apartment and rowhome dwellers, who can’t charge on their driveway, and people traveling through rural areas, where electric grids might struggle to meet demand.

Today, there are roughly 116,000 public charging ports in the U.S., with many of them located in California. The Department of Transportation has been tasked with distributing the funding, while states are responsible for submitting plans by August 1. Guidelines established by the departments of energy and transportation recommend starting with chargers near interstate freeways, but the plan also needs to address the needs of drivers living farther from major highways. "The administration is seeking to ensure that 40 percent of the benefits of the spending accrue to disadvantaged communities and it will be up to states to demonstrate how they intend to meet that goal."

Thursday, February 10, 2022 in The Washington Post

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Aerial view of downtown San Antonio, Texas at night with rotating Tower of the Americas in foreground.

San Antonio and Austin are Fusing Into one Massive Megaregion

The region spanning the two central Texas cities is growing fast, posing challenges for local infrastructure and water supplies.

July 3, 2025 - Governing

White park shuttles with large Zion logo on side and red rock cliffs in background in Zion National Park.

Since Zion's Shuttles Went Electric “The Smog is Gone”

Visitors to Zion National Park can enjoy the canyon via the nation’s first fully electric park shuttle system.

3 hours ago - Reasons to Be Cheerful

Chart of federal transportation funding comparing Biden and Trump administration spending.

Trump Distributing DOT Safety Funds at 1/10 Rate of Biden

Funds for Safe Streets and other transportation safety and equity programs are being held up by administrative reviews and conflicts with the Trump administration’s priorities.

4 hours ago - Transportation for America

Close-up on yellow and black TAXI sign on top of beige car in central Munich, Germany.

German Cities Subsidize Taxis for Women Amid Wave of Violence

Free or low-cost taxi rides can help women navigate cities more safely, but critics say the programs don't address the root causes of violence against women.

5 hours ago - Bloomberg