Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee celebrated the achievement of becoming the first state in the nation to complete Phase 1 of the alternative fuel corridor under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Program. The milestone was marked with a ribbon-cutting event at the Route 117 Park & Ride in Warwick.
Also marking the event were officials from the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources, in partnership with the state’s Department of Transportation and Department of Environmental Management; along with the U.S. DOT/Federal Highway Administration and the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation.
Launched in December 2023, Phase 1 of the NEVI Program aimed to install four new Level 3 Direct Current Fast Chargers (DCFCs) along Interstate 95 — two at the Warwick Park & Ride and two at the Ashaway Park & Ride in Hopkinton. The ChargePoint Express Plus Power Link PL2000 series chargers, manufactured by ChargePoint and installed by Maverick Corporation, can charge an electric vehicle up to 80% in 20 to 40 minutes.
The collaboration and support of Rhode Island Energy were instrumental in the successful implementation of this project.
Currently, eight DCFCs and six Dual-Port Level 2 charging stations are strategically located along the Alternative Fuel Corridor on Interstate 95 in Rhode Island.
“The completion of NEVI Phase 1 marks a milestone moment in Rhode Island’s commitment to a greener and more sustainable future,” says McKee. “By creating the infrastructure for cleaner transportation alternatives, we’re not only working toward our Act on Climate goals but leading the charge to decrease our carbon footprint. I’m grateful to the private and public partners who came together on this project that demonstrates our state’s continued commitment to enhancing our state’s EV charging infrastructure and the green economy.”
“The Federal Highway Administration is pleased to celebrate Rhode Island’s achievement in building out its NEVI-funded EV charging stations made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” adds Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt. “With over 187,000 publicly available EV charging ports at stations across the country, nearly double the amount when President Biden took office, the Biden-Harris administration is on track to achieve the president’s goal of building a national network of 500,000 publicly available EV chargers ahead of schedule.”
Considering the results of the NEVI survey, Phase 2 will be designed to adequately address the needs of public and private entities. Phase 2 likely will begin in autumn 2024, further expanding EV charging infrastructure across public roads and other accessible locations.
Signed by President Joe Biden in November 2021, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) provides states with $7.5 billion to help make EV charging more accessible to all Americans for local and long-distance trips. This $7.5 billion comprises the $5 billion NEVI Formula Program and the $2.5 Discretionary Grant Program for Charging and Fueling Infrastructure. Rhode Island has been allocated a total of $22.9 million in dedicated formula funding over a five-year period.