Indiana Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Deployment Plan Receives Federal Approval

Local Sources– The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has approved Indiana’s plan to use funding from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program to build out a statewide electric vehicle charging network. The plan approval clears the way for the state to work with private and public partners to begin investing nearly $100 million over the next five years to bolster the availability of fast, reliable EV charging infrastructure across the state.

“A robust network of convenient, reliable charging infrastructure is essential to addressing range anxiety for electric vehicle owners,” INDOT Commissioner Mike Smith said. “Through the NEVI program, Indiana will work with private and public partners to make strategic investments in charging infrastructure along our highways to support the growing number of EV’s traveling throughout our state.”

In accordance with federal guidance, Indiana’s plan invests in EV charging infrastructure along the state’s FHWA-designated Alternative Fuel Corridors (AFC). Over the coming years, the NEVI funds must be invested in DC fast charging stations that are compliant with federal guidelines. Among the primary requirements, each station must have at least four ports that can simultaneously charge at 150 kilowatts, be located along every 50 miles of the AFC, less than one mile from an exit or intersection, and be accessible to the public 24 hours a day.

Indiana’s plan will invest in at least 44 Level 3 DC-Fast Charge EV charging stations to fully build out the state’s AFC’s. Once built out, every Hoosier will be within 40 miles of a NEVI-funded charging station. The plan also prioritizes providing access to and benefit from EV charging stations for disadvantaged communities in both urban and rural areas.

The NEVI program was created by the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law with the goal of deploying a national network of at least 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations by 2030 to reduce range anxiety and encourage wider adoption of electric vehicles. The program is authorized at nearly $5 billion nationally over the next five years.

NEVI will fund 80 percent of the installation of EV charging stations along with up to five years of operations and maintenance with the remaining 20 percent of costs to be funded by site owner-operators. The state anticipates seeking proposals from potential owner-operators by mid-2023 with the initial charging station installations to begin in 2024.