Self-Service

Washington allocates $85M for 5K EV stations

Image: Adobe Stock

February 6, 2024

Washington State will invest more than $85 million in grants to fund nearly 5,000 electric vehicle charging stations, according to a joint announcement by Gov. Jay Insleee and Mike Fong, director of the state department of commerce.

All of the funds will go to nonprofits, electric utilities, tribes and public agencies, and half of the grants will install chargers in communities most at risk of negative health effects caused by fossil fuel pollution, according to a press release.

Among the awards announced are:

• 213 multifamily properties, including apartment buildings.
• 211 fleets and workplaces, primarily local government agencies and school districts.
• 141 public locations, such as recreation centers, libraries and grocery stores.

In total, the awards will result in the installation of 4,710 Level 2 EV chargers with 5,362 individual charging plugs and 271 direct current fast chargers with 420 plugs.

Funding was allocated to applicants based on a competitive scoring system that prioritized installations in areas with high levels of pollution and few existing chargers, among other criteria.

To help applicants understand where ideal charging opportunities existed and how their locations might score in prioritization, the commerce department partnered with Timmons Group to create two interactive maps, one focused on public charging sites and another for residential sites.