MIDLAND, Texas — Texas was one of the final 17 states to have its plan approved for President Biden’s $1.5 billion National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Funding Plan.
The goal is to have 500,000 charging stations across America, and it’s a five-year window that will provide over $4 billion to construction projects.
Texas will receive just over $60 million in fiscal year 2022.
The state will then be funded an estimated amount of nearly $87 million each fiscal year from 2023 through 2026.
Overall, the state is estimated to be granted north of $400 million over the next five fiscal years, which is more than any other state.
The five-year plan is broken down into three parts, according to the Texas Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Plan.
In year one, the plan is to add 55 EV charging stations in Electric Alternative Fuel Corridors to meet the 50-mile spacing required by Federal Highway Guidance, which includes several along Interstate 20 and here in West Texas.
In year two, the focus will shift to rural counties and small urban areas, and it has a far less significant impact on West Texas.
Lastly, year three, four and five will keep the same focus by adding EV charging stations to rural areas, which begins to add more in West Texas and an abundance across the Lone Star State.
In the Midland-Odessa area right now, most charging areas are at a few hotels and vehicle dealerships, but the West Texas scene is set to improve.
Currently in Midland, the Tesla charging station near Antelope Trail and Cholla Road and the Electrify America charging station off Interstate 20 are two rare locations in West Texas, as the rest of the area is virtually devoid of any similarities.
Electric vehicle owner John Gibson has owned his Tesla since 2018, and he is excited about the next half decade.
“It’s great, you know we need more charging stations,” Gibson said. “Lots of times I’ve been driving, I drive all over Texas, lots of times I’m driving home, and charge gets kind of low and I get kind of worried, and so the ability to have more charging stations is a plus.”
The lack of charging stations is something that causes many people to hesitate when it comes to buying electric vehicles, Gibson included.
“Well not with tesla because tesla already has a pretty good charging network,” Gibson said. “But it certainly keeps me from looking at other cars.”
Likely the case for all electric vehicle owners, Gibson is a big advocate for the increase in EV charging stations.
“I’m all for it,” Gibson said. “I’m all for the charging stations.”
Electric vehicles currently make up less than one percent of registered vehicles in Texas as well as in the United States, but since 2020 they have almost tripled here in Texas.
With this infrastructure plan set to take place, one can expect that to continue with charging stations set to become much more prevalent.