TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Electric vehicles are growing in popularity, but the EV infrastructure is still catching up.
The federal bipartisan infrastructure bill will steer $5 billion into building more EV charging stations across the country.
$76.5 million of that funding will come to Arizona over the next five years, where high-speed chargers along highways can be few and far between.
With that funding, the Arizona Department of Transportation is about to begin a multi-year plan to add new EV charging stations and upgrade existing ones.
These chargers will be high-capacity, “Level 3” chargers.
ADOT’s goal is to reduce gaps between chargers to less than 50 miles.
The plan is meant to address some anxiety among EV drivers about completing long-distance drives in remote areas with limited charging stations.
“Once I do get an EV, I want to make sure that I can go from A to B,” said James Kinsella, who is considering buying an electric vehicle.
“I love EVs and I know that not everybody is comfortable. But if there’s more charging, they will be more comfortable,” said Jim Waterman, who recently drove to New Hampshire and back in his electric Kia EV6.
On Wednesday in Tucson, ADOT held its first public “open house” meeting to hear in-person feedback from stakeholders.
The plan is set to begin next year, beginning with Arizona’s interstate corridors. Other highways are in consideration for future EV charging station expansion.
“I think it’s a good start,” said Kinsella. “The interstates are probably the best start. Smaller roads will be later.”
More chargers on those smaller highways are critical for drivers like Waterman, who plan to take their EVs on U.S. Route 93, the most direct route to Las Vegas.
“There’s charging in Glendale and there’s charging in Kingman. But there’s nothing in between. And it’s about 175 miles,” he said. “I can make it in the Kia, but if I get to Kingman and the charging is down, I might be stuck in Kingman for a while.”
ADOT says its plan will be re-evaluated each year as funding comes in and it hears from utility companies, drivers and other stakeholders.
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