Three States Will Invest $1.3 Billion in Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure

California, New York and New Jersey have all announced they will be investing a total of $1.3 billion in the coming years to help build more extensive electric vehicle charging infrastructure. California’s Public Utilities Commission approved up to $738 million worth of plans over the next five years. Southern California Edison and the Pacific Gas and Electric Company have also announced they will be spending $343 million and $236 million, respectively. These investments will lay the groundwork for new, extensive charging infrastructure that will support thousands of vehicles at 1,500 locations throughout the state.

Currently, the majority of electric vehicle charging takes place in consumers homes, according to the US Department of Energy. Due to this, there will also be a focus on assisting in the development of at home charging as well. Along with other energy utilities, San Diego Gas and Electric will spend up to $137 million for their “Residential Charging Program” which will allow for over 60,000 customers to receive offer rebates when they install chargers in their homes.

Along with California, New York and New Jersey will be making sizable investments of their own. The governor’s office of New York announced a pledge of up to $250 million through the year 2025 to bolster their electric vehicle initiative, called EVolve NY. This will include the installation of 200 DC fast chargers along key highways, allowing for access to them every 30 miles. New Jersey’s Public Service Enterprise Group, the largest utility owner in the state, announced a $300 million pledge to build over 50,000 charging stations along highways and residential areas.

The investments by these three states are the largest ever committed for electric vehicle infrastructure. While this initiative isn’t reciprocated by other states, experts hope that these pledges will help influence them to begin following suit, as electric vehicles become more common around the country.

In an email sent to The Verge, executive publisher Karl Brauer said “We’re going to see a series of all-new electric vehicles hit showrooms over the next two years. These new models will offer greater range than we’ve seen in past EVs, but getting electric vehicles past 1 percent market share will still prove challenging because range anxiety remains a concern for most consumers.” He continued on, “If states like California, New Jersey, and New York can support these new EVs with an expanded charging infrastructure the combination could, finally, push electric cars beyond the niche status they’ve been stuck in for over two decades.”