The federal Department of Transportation awarded $102 million for EV truck charging stations and hydrogen fueling sites along Interstate 5 in California, Oregon and Washington, officials announced last week.
The EV charging and hydrogen fueling stations will be publicly accessible, and construction of charging stations is expected to begin in 2026.
The funding for the West Coast Truck Charging and Fueling Corridor Project comes from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, according to the California announcement.
“Today’s investments in public community charging fill crucial gaps and provide the foundation for a zero-emission future where everyone can choose to ride or drive electric for greater individual convenience and reduced fueling costs, as well as cleaner air and lower healthcare costs for all Americans,” said Gabe Klein, executive director of the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, in a statement.
The federal government, which awarded a total of $521 million in zero-emission infrastructure grants last week, is focused on both EV truck charging and hydrogen truck fueling infrastructure. The industry has cautioned public officials about the exhorbitant cost of electrifying trucking — and their customers’ general unwillingness to pay for it.
The I-5 corridor was among those prioritized for zero-emissions infrastructure funding in a blueprint by the federal energy and transportation joint office. The federal plan envisions first developing separate hubs in the Pacific Northwest and Southern California between 2024 and 2027, then connecting the two sections of the I-5 corridor between 2027 and 2030.
The cross-departmental office was also created as part of the $1.2 trillion infrastructure law President Joe Biden signed in 2021.
The zero-emission infrastructure funding is intended to support truckers amid a shifting regulatory landscape under the Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) rule. The rule requires fleets across the state to begin a phased transition to zero-emission vehicles, with all new medium- and heavy-duty truck sales to be zero-emission by 2036.
