(Ames, Iowa/KCAU) — The Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) has announced a funding opportunity intended to strengthen infrastructure for electric vehicle charging, including charging stations. According to a release, Iowa’s share of federal funding under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Program would, through this process, be used to “roll-out electric vehicle charging infrastructure within Iowa.” This would involve installing stations along Iowa’s interstates.

“Releasing this funding opportunity is a key milestone for Iowa DOT,” said Garrett Pedersen, Iowa DOT Systems Planning Bureau Director. “This is a critical step towards awarding money and getting additional electric vehicle chargers in the ground.” Applications for this opportunity are due on March 13, 2024, with the notice of awards scheduled to release about 120 days later.

Electric charging station for electric vehicles in a mall parking lot.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s website states that their NEVI Program provides “dedicated funding to States to strategically deploy EV charging infrastructure and establish an interconnected network to facilitate data collection, access, and reliability.” As of June 2023, Iowa had over 12,800 registered electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, according to the release. Every county in the state has at least one registered.

More information can be found at iowadot.gov/iowaevplan.