House Approves Infrastructure Bill, Includes EV Funding

After months of delays and debates, the U.S. House of Representatives passed Nov. 6 a $550 billion infrastructure bill, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden who is expected to sign the measure into law.

The funding package, which passed 228 to 206, would support the revamp of major transportation projects, including those for electric vehicles (EVs).

A key priority of the bill is allocating $7.5 billion to build a national network of 500,000 EV charging stations. The government plans to use the money to deploy EV chargers along highway corridors to facilitate long-distance travel and within communities to provide convenient charging.

The legislation also earmarks $65 billion to upgrade the nation’s electrical grid with new transmission lines “to facilitate the expansion of renewables and clean energy, while lowering cost,” the White House said.

Other projects that would be supported by the spending package include improvement projects for bridges and roads, transit programs, and water systems.

In a statement after the House vote, Biden said the legislation would “create millions of jobs, turn the climate crisis into an opportunity, and put us on a path to win the economic competition for the 21st Century.”