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JON STYF

The Center Square

By the end of September, Tennessee hopes to have approval for what it expects to be an $88.3 million electric vehicle infrastructure plan.

The plan was submitted before Aug. 1 to the federal Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, outlining how it planned to spend $13.7 million of federal funds this fiscal year and the remainder over the following four years as part of $7.5 billion nationally being spent on electric vehicle charging station infrastructure.

The funds will go toward charging station grants for entities in Tennessee with locations within one mile of the designated alternative fuel corridor. That corridor is located along Tennessee’s interstates, including I-24, I-26, I-40, U.S. 64, I-65, I-75 and I-81.

Grantees will need to pay for 20% of any electric charging station project that receives a grant. Applicants that fit the requirements and are the furthest away from current charging stations could be prioritized.

Grantees will be required to maintain the stations for a yet-to-be-determined amount of time.

“Payment requirements under the NEVI program have not yet been developed,” an FAQ on the program said. “However, similar programs in Tennessee have required more than one payment method with a 24/7 phoneline for payment.”

Tennessee’s plan aims to finalize the award process by March and then award those grants by June 30.

The state has organized information on the plan at tn.gov/evplan.