1. Federal Funding and Financing for Vehicles 

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act combined  include billions of dollars to fund dozens of new and existing programs for states, cities, towns, and municipalities. It is especially impactful because many of the previous funding mechanisms like tax credits that were inaccessible by agencies without tax liability have been made available with the new laws. 

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Federal Programs:

• Internal Revenue Service | Commercial Vehicles Tax Credit: The Inflation Reduction Act created a new credit that a city, town, or village could utilize as a direct pay tax credit of up to 30 percent when they purchase a qualifying commercial vehicle.   

• Environmental Protection Agency | Clean School Bus Program: With funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA’s new Clean School Bus Program provides $5 billion (FY 2022-2026) to replace existing school buses with zero-emission and low-emission models. The program will alternate between a rebate and a grant structure. 

• Environmental Protection Agency | Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicle Program: The Inflation Reduction Act invests $1 billion to replace dirty class 6 & 7 heavy-duty vehicles with clean, zero-emission vehicles, support zero-emission vehicle infrastructure, and to train and develop workers.

• Department of Energy | Renew America’s Schools Grant:  With funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, DOE will invest $500 million to make clean energy improvements at K-12 public schools. Funds are intended for upgrades that will lower facilities’ energy costs and can include alternative vehicles, and alternative fuel vehicle infrastructure improvements.

      

Resources: 

• US Department of Transportation | Funding Matrix: This matrix is a list of Federal programs that can fund electric vehicles and infrastructure, sorted alphabetically by agency. The matrix notes the type of EV activities that are eligible for funding under different programs, as well as the eligible entities.

• US Department of Transportation | Overview of Federal Funding and Financing Programs: The following provides a description of each relevant agency and how its mission relates to EV infrastructure. 

• White House | List of Inflation Reduction Act Funding Programs

• American Climate Cities Challenge | Federal Funding Opportunities for Local Decarbonization (FFOLD): This tool helps local governments prioritize and leverage existing federal funding to advance system-wide energy transition goals—from block grants and technical assistance to competitive grants, loans, and revolving loan funds

• World Resource Institute: How to Help Your Community Fund Electric School Buses in the US

 

2. State Funding For Vehicles

Several Southeast states have used Volkswagen Settlement funds to purchase electric transit and school buses. SACE tracks this data in our Report: Transportation Electrification in the Southeast. Southeast states have awarded $170 million of the $427 million allocated to them from the VW Settlement. To date, 55 percent of those awards have gone towards EVs and EV charging. 

 

Examples:

• VW Settlement North Carolina (settlement)

• VW Settlement Florida (settlement)

 

Resource: 

• Alternative Fuels Data Center Incentives allows you to select a state and find state incentives. 

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Go Deeper on VW Settlement Funding

• Some local governments have used VW Settlement funding to fund charging infrastructure. 

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3. Local and Utility Funding for Vehicles

Your local utility’s plan or policies may encourage and provide financial support for certain types of EVs and vehicle classes. 

 

Examples: 

• Orlando-LYNX-OUC-Proterra: With Orlando’s assistance, LYNX applied funding from a Low or No Emission (Low-No) Grant from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to purchase seven battery electric buses, which will be procured through Proterra Inc. Orlando Utilities Commission assisted in the procurement of charging stations and batteries to help LYNX successfully deploy the project.

• West Palm Beach and FPL

• Duke NC School Bus Program 

1. Federal Incentives for Charging Infrastructure

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Bipartisan Bill and Inflation Reduction Act have several specific funding priorities earmarked for charging infrastructure and some that combine energy efficiency programs, energy justice, or greenhouse gas reduction actions with transportation and allow for charging infrastructure to be included. Guidance has not been released for all of these emerging programs and the toolkit will be updated as they become available.

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Federal Programs:

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• Department Of Transportation | The National Electric Vehicle Formula Program will fund $5 billion for new EV charging along Alternative Fuel Corridors across the country. The Joint Office of Energy and Transportation (Joint Office) provides technical assistance to community stakeholders implementing charging and fueling infrastructure projects. Fact Sheet         FAQ document.         Standards and Requirements document.       Learn more.

• Department Of Transportation | The Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program is a competitive program that provides $2.5 billion through two $1.25 billion discretionary grant programs to support EV charger deployment.  The Corridor Charging Grant Program ($1.25 billion) will strategically deploy publicly accessible EV charging infrastructure along designated Alternative Fuel Corridors. The Community Charging Grant Program $1.25 billion will strategically deploy publicly accessible EV charging infrastructure in communities. Both the Community and Corridor Programs have an 80% cost share, meaning awardees must match the remaining 20% of the project. Recording of FHWA CFI Webinar held 3.22.23 Passcode: i#l2b6UV. Slides from the webinar

• Environmental Protection Agency | Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicle Program

• Internal Revenue Service | Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Tax Credit

• Department of Energy | Renew America’s Schools Grant

• Federal Highway Administration | Neighborhood Access and Equity Grant Program

• Environmental Protection Agency | Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund

• Environmental Protection Agency | Environmental and Climate Justice Block Grants​

 

Resources:

• US Department of Transportation | Funding Matrix This matrix is a list of Federal programs that can fund electric vehicles and infrastructure, sorted alphabetically by agency. The matrix notes the type of EV activities that are eligible for funding under different programs, as well as the eligible entities.

• White House | List of Inflation Reduction Act Funding Programs

 

2. State Incentives for Charging Infrastructure

Several Southeast states have used Volkswagen Settlement funds to install EV charging stations. SACE tracks this data in our Report: Transportation Electrification in the Southeast. Southeast states have awarded $170 million of the $427 million allocated to them from the VW Settlement. To date, 55 percent of those awards have gone towards EVs and EV charging. In addition to those funds, some states offer tax credits for EVSE. 

 

Examples:

• Georgia: Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) Tax Credit

• Tennessee: Vehicle Emissions Reduction and Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) Project Funding

 

Resources: 

• Alternative Fuels Data Center Incentives allows you to select a state and find state incentives. 

• SACE | Transportation Electrification in the Southeast

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3. Local Incentives for Charging Infrastructure 

Municipalities can offer a rebate for the equipment and labor costs associated with the installation of both public and private EV charging stations. Municipalities can direct residents toward grant opportunities such as the Charge Up! program, which covers up to 50% of EVSE costs. The funds come from pollution recovery fees.

 

Examples:

• Boynton Beach, FL: Energy Edge Rebate Program 

• Sarasota County, FL: Charge Up! Program

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4. Utility Incentives for Charging Infrastructure

Utilities across the region are increasingly investing in charging infrastructure. Utility spending is tracked by SACE in our Electrification in the Southeast report. Some utilities offer rebates on the charging equipment or offer make ready credits. 

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Resource: 

• Alternative Fuels Data Center Incentives allows you to select a state and find utility incentives.