WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden’s promise to build out a national network of charging stations for electric vehicles could come to fruition soon.

 

What You Need To Know

  • Pres. Joe Biden is expected to sign the more-than-$1 trillion hard infrasturcture bill on Monday

  • The legislation includes $7.5 billion for Electric Vehicle (EV) infrastructure

  • Wisconsin is epecting $79 million over the next five years to use for EV charging investments

 

On Monday, he’s scheduled to sign a $1.2 trillion dollar infrastructure bill that includes several billion dollars for electric vehicles. That means Wisconsin’s efforts to make the roads greener will soon see a significant injection of federal funds. Environmental groups say it’ll be invaluable.

“One of the main barriers to electric vehicle adoption is just a lack of charging infrastructure around the US, including Wisconsin, some of that's real, so that is perceived,” said Jeremy Orr, Emerging Technology Program Manager at RENEW Wisconsin. “This could really help address range anxiety and other issues that potential electric vehicle owners that's preventing them from purchasing electric vehicle.”

Of the $7.5 billion earmarked for Electric Vehicles (EV) in the infrastructure bill Congress sent to Pres. Biden late last week $79 million will go to the state over the next five years.

“There are also be competitive opportunities as well,” Maria Redmond, Director of the Wisconsin Office of Sustainability & Clean Energy. “And so I think there's about $2.5 billion in competitive funding, that we'll be able to take advantage of.”

A needed catalyst according to Governor Tony Evers’ office. In 2019, Evers signed into the state budget $10 million for state-wide charging stations but the effort hit a roadblock when the Republican-controlled legislature opposed his plan to to increase funding for EV infrastructure as part of his Badger Bounce Back agenda. 

“There was transportation-related provisions,” said Redmond. “And unfortunately, those provisions didn't pass through the budgetary process. But Evers is still committed to looking at those opportunities through different other other planning processes.”

More opportunities are awaiting the president’s signature and advocates say it’s not just state and federal stakeholders excited for this kind of investment, the private sector is waiting for it too.

“It's really helpful to have major Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) like Ford and GM and others with their recent announcements this past year with electric vehicles, provide a lot of cover for the work we've been doing the past several years,” said Orr. “And then having state-level leadership and federal-level leadership really pushed for these initiatives, it’s a huge investment and it's much needed.”