US Infrastructure Bill allocates $7.5 billion for building EV charging stations

The US Senate has approved a bipartisan $1 trillion infrastructure bill to fund projects to rebuild the country's roads, bridges, railway lines and electric grids, among others. A significant portion of this bill - $7.5 billion has been approved to fund the development of EV infrastructure across the country, CNN reported. This is a part of the Biden administration's wider pledge to support conversion to electric vehicles.

Another equivalent portion of $7.5 billion has been earmarked to help transition state buses and other forms of public transportation to cleaner modes that give out zero-emissions and move away from fossil fuels. These allocations are in line with White House's aim to get automakers to voluntarily make all-electric vehicles contribute at least 50% to all new vehicle sales in the country by 2030. US President Joe Biden also signed an executive order setting a target to make half of all new vehicles sold in 2030 electric, backed by biggest US automakers.

However, many Democratic party members urged that the Biden administration should spend even more on transport electrification as well as other forms of clean and natural resources. After passing the Infrastructure Bill, the US Senate also voted to begin a debate on another even broader $3.5 trillion budget resolution that could include $85 billion in funding for EV charging infrastructure across the country, much higher than what has been allotted in the Infrastructure Bill, Reuters reported. "A rapid and extensive build-out of electric vehicle charging infrastructure supported by the federal government is crucial if consumers are to adopt zero-emission vehicles at the scale and pace needed to stave off climate catastrophe," Reuters quoted Democratic leaders.

It could take time for this new bill with an increased amount for EV infrastructure to be passed in the US Senate. However, the current funding is a step in the right direction, also because the decision also won support from the Opposition party.