An EV charging station off Interstate 95 (MDOT)
Uncertainty on electric vehicles (EV) and electric vehicle charging is swirling these days. There are news stories and social media posts writing about the lack of electric vehicle charging stations and that without federal funding and support there won’t be any energy, motivation or money to move forward. I challenge that notion. Maryland is racing forward; the electric vehicle revolution is underway, with Maryland leading the charge.
Statewide, under Governor Wes Moore’s and Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld’s leadership, the State’s goals to create a cleaner, more sustainable transportation system have not wavered. Maryland has a growing number of places EV drivers can plug into across the state: as of last month more than 3,400 Level 2 chargers and more than 1,000 direct-current fast chargers. For perspective, that’s already one public place to plug in for every 976 Maryland drivers. In addition, many Marylanders can, and do, charge their electric vehicles at home. These chargers support the more than 135,000 EVs registered in the state and the countless EV drivers that travel our roads every day.
MDOT is committed to moving forward. The US Department of Transportation pause of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Program has slowed our progress, but it doesn’t change the state’s goals. The Congressionally mandated funds under the NEVI Program are intended to strategically deploy electric EV charging infrastructure and to establish an interconnected network to facilitate data collection, access and reliability. These funds are intended to first be invested throughout the US on major highways to support interstate and inter-region travel and then in local communities. These investments help to fill out a charging network that delivers range confidence, ensuring chargers are built in areas that may otherwise not receive investments.
Maryland is prepared and poised to continue building out charging infrastructure on our 23 alternative fuel corridors and to invest in community charging. We are committed to moving in close partnership with our fellow state agencies; Department of General Services, the Maryland Energy Administration, the Maryland Department of Environment and the Public Service Commission to maximize benefits for Marylanders with our collective electric vehicle programs and future policy development. We are dedicated to delivering reliable and accessible charging infrastructure for Marylanders.
Is there more to do? Absolutely. Here at MDOT, we will charge forward to ensure that Maryland drivers can travel to and from Friendsville to Ocean City with confidence and ease. Let us know how we can improve and expand Maryland’s charging network. Take our EV Charging survey here!
Morgan Ellis is the Director of Electric Vehicles, Climate, and Air Quality at the Maryland Department of Transportation.
