Montana is determining how it should invest $43 million in federal funds to expand electric vehicle infrastructure across the state over a period of five years.
Montana’s Departments of Environmental Quality and Transportation on Monday published a draft plan for the deployment of electric vehicle charging stations along major highways. It's part of the Biden administration’s push to support electric vehicle buildout nationwide.
According to the plan, Montana will install charging stations every 50 miles along interstates 15, 90 and 94 and fill charging gaps along U.S. highways 2 and 93. Electric vehicles need to recharge every few hundred miles.
Montana has one of the lowest numbers of registered electric vehicles in the country with nearly 3,000 cars. That number could grow to more than 31,000 by 2030, according to a recent report commissioned by the Department of Environmental Quality.
The state must submit its plan to the Federal Highway Administration by Aug. 1. The public can submit comments until July 18.
