ND lays plans for adding electric vehicle charging stations

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota will use nearly $26 million in federal funding over the next several years to build a network of charging stations for electric vehicles around the state.

North Dakota Department of Transportation officials say the first phase of the plan is to build chargers no more than 50 miles apart and less than a mile off exits along Interstates 94 and 29, the Bismarck Tribune reported.

The funding through fiscal year 2026 comes from the federal infrastructure bill that Congress passed last fall. The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program will create a fast-charging network across the nation that eventually will include 500,000 stations.

The federal program guides states on how to set up the charging stations so that they function the same across the country and are easy to find and pay for.

The White House says there are now more than 2 million electric vehicles on the road and 100,000 charging stations.

North Dakota has just several hundred electric vehicles and is among the last states in the nation to install fast-charging stations. Momentum has built in recent years to expand charging infrastructure, and a number of cities including Bismarck now have a few stations.

The DOT is asking the public to comment on priorities and preferences as it develops its statewide plan.