Montana Agency Awards Grants to Advance Fast Charging Stations for EV Expansion

The Montana Department of Environmental Quality has awarded the “Fast Charge Your Ride” grant to four organisations.The grant received by Montana will support the development of new electric vehicle charging stations across the state. It will expand travel options across Montana`s key corridors for electric vehicle drivers and provide access to popular travel sites such as the Yellowstone National Parks.

The key aim of the grant is to bring electric vehicle charging stations to rural communities that attract tourists. Furthermore, the move supports the United States’ objective of reaching net zero emissions by 2050. The funds for the project come from a larger settlement entitled the Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust Settlement, in which Montana received $12.6 million. In 2016 the US filed a complaint against Volksawagen alleging violations of the Clean Air Act. Volkswagen was later found guilty and agreed to spend up to $14.7 billion to settle allegations of cheating emissions. As part of the settlement fund, states were allocated fundings.

The recipients are GBP Enterprises, Missoula Electric Cooperative, NorthWestern Energy, and Town Pump. NorthWestern and Town Pump will partner to deploy nine new stations in key corridors. The stations are expected to come online in 2023. Last year, the agency used the Volkswagen Settlement funds to support 16 Level 2 chargers in important downtown or destination locations as well as three fast-charging locations located.

The Montana Department of Transportation expects future federal programs to complement infrastructure funded through the Volkswagen Settlement funds. Montana’s measure is in sync with President Biden’s goal for the U.S. to have half of all new vehicle sales to be electric by 2030. As part of the “Build Back Better” plan, the Biden administration proposed electric vehicle purchase incentives, a more robust charging network, R&D investments, and incentives to expand the US electric vehicle manufacturing and supply chains.

The U.S. lags China when it’s come to electric vehicle infrastructure. However, with significant investment from the Biden administration, there is now confidence in electric vehicle technology. Moreover, the cost of owning and operating an electric vehicle is becoming increasingly lower relative to internal combustion engine vehicles.