As Alabama’s automakers trend toward building more electric vehicles and Gov. Kay Ivey works to promote awareness of electric vehicle options, the state has released its plan for increasing the availability of charging stations along major highway corridors.
Expanding on a 2020 plan developed by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs, the agency has created its 2022 plan “to guide the deployment of future state and federal funds to expand the availability of fast charging stations along Alabama’s major travel corridors.”
The state’s Clean Fuels Coalition, utilities, industry associations and state agencies contributed to the plan development.
“As more automotive manufacturers, including many of those here in Alabama, continue to announce significant investments in electric vehicles, we must continue to take steps to ensure that motorists have a place to recharge their vehicles on the road,” Ivey said. “This plan will serve a valuable purpose to guide the state’s efforts to support Alabamians’ choice to adopt electric vehicles by planning for appropriate infrastructure both now and into the future.”
ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell added, “Charging infrastructure is a key need as more and more electric vehicles travel Alabama’s interstates, highways and roads in the near future. The plan helps target the travel corridors that will most benefit from the placement of electric vehicle charging stations and will help focus our efforts with future grants.”
The state allocated $4 million for electric vehicle charging infrastructure in 2021 and expects to allocate another $2 million in state funds this year. Officials expect the program to benefit also from allocation of federal infrastructure funds.
