Statewide and Multistate Electric Mobility Partners and Initiatives
Statewide and multistate agencies and groups can play a key role in connecting stakeholders, identifying available funding opportunities, and providing technical expertise. Some of these partners are specific to a particular State or region of the country, while others are national initiatives with affiliated local, State, or regional stakeholder groups.
FHWA’s Alternative Fuel Corridor Designations
At the national level, since 2016, the FHWA’s Alternative Fuel Corridor (AFC) Designations have catalyzed the expansion of a national corridor network of EV charging stations along over 75,000 miles (or 33 percent) of the National Highway System (NHS), including nearly 45,000 miles of the Nation’s Interstate System (92 percent). All 50 States as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have one or more designated EV corridors (see the figure below).
FHWA works with other Federal, State, and local officials and with private industry to facilitate an interstate and major road network of alternative clean fuel stations (EV charging, hydrogen, natural gas, and propane) so commercial and passenger vehicles can reliably travel between cities and regions and across the Nation.
The AFC program engages State and local officials, including State departments of transportation (DOTs) and transportation planning agencies, and frequently collaborates with local Clean Cities coalitions to identify candidate highway segments for this national network. The program also encourages multistate and regional cooperation and collaboration on planning and developing alternative fueling and charging locations along corridors and provides guidance to States on implementing EV charging and other alternative fueling highway signage. Urban entities can participate in the AFC designation process or refer to existing AFC designations to determine where fast charge infrastructure exists or is being planned in a particular area. In addition, until AFCs within a State are determined to be fully built out by FHWA, NEVI formula funding under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is required to be spent along EV corridors designated by the AFC program.
EPA Regional Diesel Collaboratives
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Regional Diesel Collaboratives work to reduce diesel emissions through strategies like fuel efficiency, alternative fuels, and electrification. These collaboratives involve public-private collaboration to share information, plan projects, leverage funding, and promote the use of vehicles, vessels, and equipment that can use alternative fuel. Regional collaborative partners typically include State environmental agencies, local governments, EPA regional offices, energy agencies or coalitions, nonprofits, and private-sector companies.
The five Regional Diesel Collaboratives cover the whole United States and may be able to connect urban entities with partners to pursue charging infrastructure projects, particularly around medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. For example, the mission of the West Coast Collaborative Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Corridor Coalition is to accelerate the modernization of West Coast transportation corridors by deploying alternative fuel infrastructure for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles and equipment. The collaboratives are especially active in congested urban and metropolitan areas with reduced air quality. They are instrumental in providing technical assistance to entities pursuing Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) Program grants and rebates, and to school districts applying for EPA’s Clean School Bus Program rebates provided under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
State Departments of Transportation
State DOTs can offer technical and funding resources to support electric vehicle charging infrastructure as well as construction contracting oversight or other partnering roles. For example, FHWA’s Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) Program apportions funding to State DOTs by statutory formula for projects that improve air quality and provide congestion relief. These CMAQ funds may also be transferred to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) for administration of eligible transit projects. Electric vehicle projects, including fleet conversions and charging infrastructure, are one of the eligible project categories under CMAQ. In addition, the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides formula funding through NEVI to State DOTs for a national electric vehicle formula program and discretionary funding through the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Program (see Federal Funding Programs for more information on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law).
Some State DOTs, such as Iowa DOT, Maine DOT, and Kansas DOT, among others, administer or co-administer with sister State agencies the Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust funds allocated for EV charging infrastructure investment. Several State DOTs also administer State-developed grant programs for EV and other alternative fuel infrastructure; for example, Washington State DOT’s Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Grant Program.
State DOTs also play a central role in planning and supporting EV infrastructure deployment. All States, as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, have adopted State EV Infrastructure Deployment Plans describing how they will obligate their NEVI formula funds for EV charging infrastructure projects. Many either lead or support the process in their State for nominating NHS corridors for designation under the FHWA Alternative Fuels Corridor program. They conduct planning for building out and deploying EV infrastructure along the NHS, and they coordinate with other State agencies to help ensure EV readiness through strategic infrastructure planning that focuses on corridors, workplaces, and communities. State DOTs also operate and oversee road and highway signage, and State DOT traffic engineers are responsible for approving and installing EV infrastructure wayfinding signage along NHS corridors.
State Environmental and Energy Agencies
State agencies often conduct planning specific to electric vehicles. State-level EV implementation plans can be an important source of information on planned locations for charging infrastructure or gaps in an existing charging network. They may identify funding or other resources available from State agencies or other stakeholders within a State.
State environmental and energy agencies (e.g., a State department of natural resources or State energy office) may also offer programs and funding to support electric mobility charging deployment. State energy offices generally operate under the direction of governors or legislatures and are funded by both State and Federal appropriations. Many State energy offices offer funding or technical assistance programs for EV infrastructure. They may also conduct EV readiness planning or implement State policies related to EVs. The National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) Interactive State Energy Offices Map provides contact information for each State energy office.
State agencies, typically the environmental or air quality agency, also administer settlement funds from the 2016 Volkswagen decision. The U.S. government and Volkswagen (VW) have resolved allegations that VW violated the Clean Air Act, and the enforcement settlement provides nearly $3 billion to States through an Environmental Mitigation Trust. The settlement also commits VW to invest $2 billion in zero emission vehicle infrastructure. VW created a subsidiary company, Electrify America, to manage the $2 billion zero emission vehicle investment. Each State designated a lead agency that manages the State’s allocated funding from the Environmental Mitigation Trust, which can be spent on projects including EVs and EV charging stations. See the National Association of Clean Air Agencies webpage for contact information for each State’s lead agency.
Additional Multistate Initiatives
Many States and regions of the country have partnerships and initiatives around electric mobility. These groups may focus on:
- Improving air quality generally (e.g., Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management);
- Developing or advocating for State-level or regional policies to encourage EVs (e.g., Regional Electric Vehicle (REV) West, REV Midwest and the Transportation and Climate Initiative);
- Partnering on EV charging infrastructure (e.g., Northeast Electric Vehicle Network, West Coast Electric Highway); or
- Advancing a multimodal electric future (e.g., the Coalition Helping American Rebuild and Go Electric).
The E-Bike Incentive Programs of North America Tracker is a helpful resource that includes implementation and funding details of existing and past programs. Entities interested in pursuing electric mobility projects can connect with these types of groups for technical assistance, connections to project partners, or funding.
For more information on multistate climate initiatives, see the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions. The Alternative Fuels Data Center’s State Information tool also has details on potential partners in each State, including contact information for relevant State agencies and information on completed or ongoing EV charging projects.
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Partnership Opportunities for Electric Mobility Infrastructure
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