Metropolitan El Paso and other parts of Texas are expected to see the construction of electric vehicle charging stations under a new plan being formulated by the state’s Department of Transportation.\
In its formative stage, the plan is specifically focusing on building the stations off interstate routes as well as rural areas.
A state document called the Texas Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Plan envisions a 5-year build-out period that will ultimately see the construction of stations every 50 miles, with the exact locations of the facilities based on such factors as equipment cost and “community identified needs.”
The first year of the plan will see the building of some 48 stations in compliance with the Federal Highway Administration in high-use interstate areas, followed by a second-year initial emphasis of building stations in both small urban areas as well as rural counties.
The remaining three years of the plan will be dedicated to more fully building the facilities throughout the vast portions of Texas defined as rural.
The stations will all have a minimum of four direct current fast charging units, and a maximum of eight, with pull-through spaces for vehicles with trailers, and restrooms. The facilities will also bebuilt to Americans with Disabilities Act compliance.
There are to date more than 129,000 electric vehicles registered in Texas, with some estimates suggesting that that number could easily reach the 500,000 mark by the end of the decade.
Around $408 million in federal funds through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is being made available to Texas for the plan.
The state’s electric vehicle infrastructure plan is expected to be officially submitted to the Federal Highway Administration by August 1.
By Garry Boulard
