The Texas Department of Transportation released a draft plan this month detailing their five-year plan to expand their network of electric vehicle chargers, placing stations every 50 miles. The state has $408 million in federal funds as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and their goal is to build enough charging stations to support 1 million electric vehicles.
Main corridors and interstate highways will be the first spots for chargers and then the focus will turn to rural counties, small urban areas and areas advised by metropolitan planning organizations. Stations will have several stalls, allowing multiple drivers to charge at once and will be high-powered at 150kW, bringing EVs from 10% to an 80% charge in a half hour.
There are future plans to equip the charging stations with a “combination of solar and battery equipment to supplement their power supplies” which would be an important step for the state in trailblazing holistic clean energy goals.
Chandra Bhat, director of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Center on Data-Supported Transportation Operations and Planning, hopes that the state will invest in making information about the increased availability of chargers in front of consumers. It’s one thing to advance infrastructure upgrades, but it’s another to make sure that people are aware of what’s going on.
Will this plan encourage more electric vehicle drivers in Texas? As of now, less than 1% of Texans’ registered vehicles are electric, though a recent TxDOT report noted electric vehicle adoption has nearly tripled since 2020. Moving forward, states must ensure they are equipped with the technology to meet the demand of more EVs on the road. By expanding their EV charging network, this plan will help Texas encourage long-distance travel, decrease charger wait times, and address range anxiety.
