Texas was one of the final 17 states to have its plan approved, and the five-year window will provide over $400 million in funding for the state.
MIDLAND, Texas – Texas is one of the last 17 states to approve plans for President Biden’s $1.5 billion national electric vehicle investment plan.
The goal is to have 500,000 ports across America, which is a five-year window that will provide more than $4 billion for domestic projects.
Texas will receive more than $60 million in the 2022 budget.
The state will receive up to $87 million for each fiscal year from 2023 to 2026. Overall, the state is expected to receive north of $400 million over the next five fiscal years, more than any other state.
The five-year plan is divided into three parts, according to Texas Electric’s infrastructure plan. In the first year, the plan is to add 55 electric vehicle stations in the alternative electric fuel system to meet the 50-mile gap required by the Federal Highway Guidance, which includes many along Interstate 20 here in West Texas.
In two years, the focus will be on rural and smaller urban areas, with a smaller impact on West Texas. Finally, Years 3, 4, and 5 will set the same goal of adding EV charging stations in rural areas, which are beginning to include more in West Texas and more in the Lone Star State.
In the Midland-Odessa area now, most of the tolls are at a few restaurants and car dealerships, but the West Texas area needs improvement. Now in Midland, the Tesla station near Antelope Trail and Cholla Road and the Electrify America station on Interstate 20 are two unusual places in West Texas, because the rest of the area has no similarities.
Electric car owner John Gibson has owned his Tesla since 2018 and is excited about the next half-decade. “That’s good, you know we need more ports,” Gibson said. “Most of the time I’m driving, I’m driving all over Texas, most of the time I’m coming home and the bill is low and I’m a little worried, so the ability to have more stations water is a supplement.”
The lack of a parking space is what makes many people hesitate when it comes to buying an electric car, Gibson included.
“It’s not at Tesla because Tesla already has a pretty good charging network,” Gibson said. “But it prevents me from looking at other cars.”
And perhaps the case for all EV owners, Gibson is a big proponent of increasing EV charging stations. “I totally agree,” Gibson said. “I’m for the port.”
Electric vehicles represent less than one percent of registered vehicles in Texas and in the United States, but by 2020, they will almost triple here in Texas. With the planned infrastructure, we can expect this to continue, and charging stations will expand significantly.
