States will be able to begin building out their highway networks of electric vehicle charging stations, after gaining access on Tuesday to $1.5 billion in funding from the US government. All 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico can now access the first wave of funding for the program, which will in total provide $7.5 billion for the EV charging network.
The funding is being provided under the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure law, which was passed in November 2021.
"We have approved plans for all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia to help ensure that Americans in every part of the country -- from the largest cities to the most rural communities -- can be positioned to unlock the savings and benefits of electric vehicles," US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement Tuesday.
President Joe Biden is aiming for half of all new vehicles sold by 2030 to be zero emissions vehicles. In California, a more extreme measure passed last month bans the sale of new internal combustion engine cars by 2035.
Read more: Best Electric Cars and EVs for 2022