WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) announced that New Mexico’s Electric Vehicle (EV) Infrastructure Deployment Plan has been approved by the Biden-Harris administration, under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program, established and funded by the Infrastructure Law that Senator Heinrich championed into law.
With this approval, Fiscal Year 2022 funds are now available to New Mexico. New Mexico, one of the first states to have their plans approved, is expected to receive $38 million over five years to support the expansion of an EV charging network in the state.
“As a mechanical engineering student in college, I was part of a team that designed and raced a carbon fiber solar car from Dallas to Minneapolis. It’s exciting to see how EV technology has taken off since then—and created new careers,” Heinrich said. “This historic funding will build out the first-ever nationwide charging network, accelerate the adoption of EVs to address the climate crisis, and help New Mexico drivers save money.”
The NEVI program, run by the U.S. Department of Transportation, provides nearly $5 billion over five years to help states create a network of EV charging stations along designated Alternative Fuel Corridors, particularly along the Interstate Highway System. The total amount available to states in Fiscal Year 2022 under the NEVI Formula Program is $615 million. States were required to submit an EV Infrastructure Deployment Plan before accessing these funds.
Sen. Heinrich also championed the Inflation Reduction Act into law, which will bring down the sticker price of electric vehicles, providing New Mexicans tax credits to purchase new and used electric vehicles, as well as making an additional $3 billion accessible to help support access to EV charging for economically disadvantaged communities through the Neighborhood Access and Equity Grant Program.
Sen. Heinrich also supported the CHIPS and Science Act that will bolster U.S. leadership in semiconductors, important for all vehicles including EVs, providing $52.7 billion for American semiconductor research, development, manufacturing and workforce development. This includes $39 billion in manufacturing incentives, including $2 billion for the legacy chips used in automobiles.
Sen. Heinrich is committed to helping New Mexico communities build out EV infrastructure, including at visitor centers on public lands and gateway communities. Heinrich has routinely brought together local, state, Tribal, and federal officials together with non-profit organizations to spark discussions on policy recommendations, resources to implement real solutions to reduce carbon emissions, and receiving technical assistance. These recommendations have included fleet electrification, charging infrastructure, and rural electrification.
Sen. Heinrich also is supportive of President Biden’s Executive Order that sets a new target to make half of all new vehicles sold in 2030 zero-emissions vehicles, including battery electric, plug-in hybrid electric, or fuel cell electric vehicles.
Sen. Heinrich released a comprehensive guide that provides information about the Infrastructure Law funded programs and opportunities available through the Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Interior, U.S. Department of Transportation, Environmental Protection Agency, and Federal Communications Commission.
The Biden-Harris administration also released a guide, Charging Forward: A Toolkit for Planning and Funding Rural Electric Mobility Infrastructure, that connects rural communities with partners needed for these EV charging projects. The toolkit brings rural New Mexico communities to the table so that they too can reap the job and economic opportunities from the new EV charging network. It contains best practices for planning EV charging networks and tips to navigate federal funding and financing to help make these projects a reality.
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