ADECA releases statewide Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Plan
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On Wednesday the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs released a comprehensive statewide plan to guide current and future efforts to expand electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
The plan is designed 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 plan expands the scope of ADECA’s previous electric vehicle plan, which was completed in 2020.
The Alabama Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Plan is available on ADECA’s website at www.adeca.alabama.gov/electric-vehicle-charging-infrastructure-program.
“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,” Gov. Kay 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.”
The plan was completed with the assistance of the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition and an advisory group that included input from several key state agencies, utility providers and industry associations.
“Charging infrastructure is a key need as more and more electric vehicles travel Alabama’s interstates, highways and roads in the near future,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said. “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 plan is the latest step in the state’s involvement with electric vehicles. In 2021, Gov. Ivey awarded 18 grants totaling more than $4 million to expand electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
ADECA will award an additional $2 million in state grants for electric vehicle charging in 2022. Additional funding from the recently passed federal infrastructure package also is expected to support electric vehicle chargers in Alabama.
In November, Ivey and ADECA launched the Drive Electric Alabama initiative. The statewide effort has a mission of raising awareness of electric vehicles by engaging and educating Alabama residents.
More information is available at www.driveelectricalabama.com.