As petroleum prices continue to skyrocket, electric vehicles have become the new commodity.
This is one of the reasons why Arkansas leaders have been working to ensure that the state is prepared for the influx of electric vehicles on the road by building charging stations.
Arkansas to Build Charging Stations
According to 5 News Online, Arkansas is set to spend $54 million to ensure that electric vehicle charging stations will be built along the state's major interstates.
The budget is part of the $5 billion national plan called the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Funding Program or NEVI. The program will build up to 50,000 charging stations for electric vehicles by the year 2030.
According to THV11, the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) has created a map to determine where the charging stations will be placed across the state.
The federal guidelines show that the stations will be built every 50 miles and within one mile of an exit ramp for easy public access.
The Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment is set to apply for more federal grants as soon as they are available to help address the infrastructure issues of electric vehicle charging stations in the state.
The charging stations will have Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3, which are needed for different types of electric vehicles.
The Department of Energy and Environment also plans to use 40% of the funding to serve disadvantaged communities across Arkansas.
In the first five months of 2022, Arkansas registered 43% of electric vehicles in the state, according to the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration or DFA.
Making Charing Stations Accessible
Arkansas's plan to build charging stations across the state echoes President Joe Biden's goal of building a national network of 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations by 2030.
This is the latest move of the Biden administration to accelerate the clean energy transition of the United States.
CNBC reported that the administration's proposal would help establish the groundwork for several states to build EV charging station projects that are accessible to all drivers regardless of the electric vehicle, location, or charging company.
One of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions in the United States is the transportation sector, and electrifying it is important in the country's fight against climate change.
The Biden administration has been encouraging Americans to switch to electric vehicles by marketing them as "more affordable and easier to maintain" compared to the gas-powered ones. The administration has also shared that it wants 50% of the country to switch to electric vehicles by 2030.
In early 2022, the White House announced that it would allocate $5 billion to states to fund electric vehicle chargers until 2025. This plan also includes a $7.5 billion project that is meant to build a national network of electric vehicle charging stations.
Pete Buttigieg, the US Transportation secretary, said on June 8 that the administration believes every American deserves to benefit from electric vehicles.
The officials stated that the standards would ensure a unified network of chargers with the same payment systems, pricing information, and charging speeds.
Related Article: Tesla and Other Automakers Ask the US Government to Fund EV Charging Stations
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Written by Sophie Webster
