President Joe Biden proposed the building of a nationwide EV charging network.  -  Screencapture: YouTube

President Joe Biden proposed the building of a nationwide EV charging network.

Screencapture: YouTube

President Joe Biden has proposed a $174 billion investment into the electric vehicle market as part of his $2 trillion infrastructure plan. The American Jobs Plan includes building out EV charging infrastructure and electrifying transit buses, school buses, and the United States Postal Service.

The plan would allow automakers to spur domestic supply chains, retool factories to compete globally, and support American workers to make batteries and electric vehicles. It would establish grant and initiative programs for state and local governments and the private sector to build a national network of 500,000 EV chargers by 2030, and give consumers rebates and tax incentives to buy American-made EVs.

The plan also calls for replacing 50,000 diesel transit vehicles and at least 20% of the yellow school bus fleet with EVs.

Lastly, Biden said the federal government would use its vast tools to electrify the federal fleet, including USPS vehicles. In February, USPS announced OshKosh Defense had been awarded the contract to produce the next generation of postal service vehicles, and Postmaster General Louis DeJoy initially stated up to 10% of the purchases could be EVs. Various lawmakers have called for a halt of the contract as it did not comply with President Biden’s goal of electrifying the federal fleet.

The Zero Emission Transportation Association (ZETA), a collation advocating for 100% EV sales by 2030, commended Biden on the infrastructure plan, stating it “demonstrates the leadership necessary to drive a swift and equitable transition to electric transportation.”

The plan also calls for a renewed, more resilient electrical grid and proposes $115 billion to modernize highways and roads. The proposal must go through both houses of Congress.

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