Gov. Kay Ivey has announced that the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs has partnered with the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition to create a statewide plan to provide more electric vehicle charging stations throughout the state.
The plan, presented to Ivey, includes input from a group of experts to develop EV infrastructure around Alabama’s interstates. The primary goal is to make it easier for drivers to charge their personal vehicles while traveling around the state.
“This plan will allow for grant funding opportunities that expand access to EV charging stations along heavily traveled areas of our state and invest in Alabama’s future by supporting consumers’ choice to adopt electric vehicles,” Ivey said. “This is the beginning stage of a great project that will continue moving Alabama forward as more automotive companies, including Mercedes Benz and the numerous other manufacturers here in Alabama, develop EV technology.”
The plan will use funding from the Volkswagen settlement along with funding allocated by the Alabama Legislature to support projects that bring EV charging stations to the state. ADECA manages the VW settlement for Alabama.
In 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a notice that Volkswagen had violated the federal Clean Air Act by using software to circumvent emissions testing. VW agreed to pay more than $14.7 billion to settle the allegations. The settlement is divided into three programs, one of which requires investments in projects to reduce diesel emissions. Alabama’s direct allocation from the overall settlement is more than $25.4 million. Approximately $3.2 million of these funds will be targeted to support EV infrastructure in the state.
ADECA manages a wide range of programs that support economic development, law enforcement, victim services, energy conservation, water resource management, recreation and more.
The nonprofit Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition is the state’s principal coordinating point for alternative fuels and advanced technology vehicles.
