The Biden-Harris Administration announced a $51 million Ride and Drive Electric funding opportunity through President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to accelerate the electrification of the nation’s transportation sector and spur private sector investments in clean transportation.
The administration also announced the launch of the National Charging Experience Consortium to advance rapid, on-the-ground solutions that ensure a convenient, reliable, equitable and easy-to-use charging experience for all Americans with chargers that are made in America.
The Joint Office of Energy and Transportation will administer the Ride and Drive Electric program and has funded DOE’s Idaho National Laboratory to lead the National Charging Experience Consortium. Managed by the Departments of Energy and Transportation, the Joint Office was created through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to build a national electric vehicle charging network that will spark public confidence in EV adoption and fill charging gaps in rural, disadvantaged and hard-to-reach locations.
“Under President Biden’s leadership, we are creating a new generation of good-paying jobs building the vehicles of the future and the infrastructure that supports them,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said. “The EV revolution is well underway, and this funding will help to ensure that every American can access the benefits and count on a reliable EV charging network across the country.”
Ride and Drive Electric Funding Opportunity Announcement
Electrifying America’s transportation sector will play a critical role in mitigating greenhouse gas pollution and climate change while benefiting all Americans through improved health outcomes, reduced fuel and maintenance costs and strengthened energy security.
With more than 3 million EVs on the road, federal investments to reach President Biden’s goal of building a national network of 500,000 public EV charging ports will allow even more Americans to make the switch to electric. The Ride and Drive Electric funding opportunity will advance this mission by:
- Enhancing EV charging resilience
- Providing equitable access and opportunity in electrification through community-driven models for EV charging deployment and workforce development
- Improving EV charging performance and reliability
This funding will help to increase reliability of chargers by providing funding for validating and testing charging equipment; advance new business models for electrified shared mobility and fleet-based services; and increase opportunities for underserved communities through new jobs and training resources, among others.
Aligning with the President’s Justice40 Initiative, all applicants must outline the benefits that will be delivered to disadvantaged communities through the Ride and Drive Electric funding opportunity.
