DOT sets up 25,000 miles of EV charging corridors

DOT sets up 25,000 miles of EV charging corridors

The U.S. Department of Transportation has set up 48 national electric vehicle charging corridors covering nearly 25,000 miles of U.S. highways in 35 states. Drivers on those corridors can expect existing or planned charging stations within every 50 miles, the White House said.

–Alternative fuels and electric vehicles will play an integral part in the future of Americaês transportation system,” said Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. –We have a duty to help drivers identify routes that will help them refuel and recharge those vehicles, and designating these corridors on our highways is a first step.”

More miles will be added in the future to accommodate not just electric, but also hydrogen, propane and natural gas vehicles as additional fueling and charging stations are built. The announcement came as more mainstream long-range EVs such as the Chevrolet Bolt and Tesla Model 3 come on the market.

At the same time, 28 states, utilities, automakers and other organizations agreed to accelerate EV charging infrastructure along the Alternative Fuel Corridors. The automakers on the list were BMW, General Motors and Nissan. There are currently 16,000 charging stations across the country, up from 500 in 2008, the White House said.

Arlington County, VA, as part of its commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 76 percent by 2050, has said that 5 percent of vehicle miles traveled by county fleet sedans will be in electric vehicles by 2020.