The Baker-Polito Administration announced that an additional $4 million has been made available to support new and enhanced electric-vehicle charging infrastructure programs across the state, as part of the Massachusetts Electric Vehicle Incentive Program (MassEVIP). These programs, funded by the 2017 settlement of the Volkswagen (VW) diesel emissions court case, will provide $1.5 million in funding for fast-charging stations, $1.5 million for public-access charging stations, and $1 million for workplace and fleets charging station infrastructure.
“Shifting a zero-emission transportation system is essential as we seek to cut greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the impacts of climate change. The electric vehicle charging programs announced today will also provide economic development opportunities across Massachusetts and support the growth of innovative clean energy jobs,” said Gov. Charles Baker. “This announcement builds on our recent commitment to launching the Transportation and Climate Initiative Program to reduce transportation emissions and invest in cleaner, more affordable transportation options for Massachusetts residents.”
The Massachusetts Volkswagen Settlement Beneficiary Mitigation Plan announced last December committed the Commonwealth to designating 15 percent of the VW funding to electric vehicle charging infrastructure, totaling approximately $11.25 million. The Administration has previously made $5 million in VW funds available for various MassEVIP programs, and today adds $1.5 million in funding for a new competitive Direct Current Fast Charging (DCFC) program, $1.5 million for a new rolling-enrollment Public Access Charging (PAC) program, and an additional $1 million for a revamped Workplace and Fleets (WPF) charging program.
Administered through the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), MassEVIP is making these funds available to private, public and non-profit employers, and educational and multi-unit residential property owners in the Commonwealth in order to install standard Level 1 (120-volt) and Level 2 (240-volt) EV charging stations, as well as Direct Current Fast Charging (DCFC) stations.
“Adding more charging stations to our current network will accelerate and increase market demand for electric vehicles,” said MassDEP Commissioner Martin Suuberg. “Drivers will have greater access to convenient and reliable public fast-charging locations, reducing range anxiety and allowing them to travel without concern about where to charge.”
Under this new and enhanced funding under the VW settlement, MassEVIP will fund electric vehicle charging equipment and installation costs through the following programs:
• A new $1.5 million for a competitive Direct Current Fast Charging (DCFC) program, with an application deadline of March 19, 2021.
• An additional $1.5 million for a rolling-enrollment Public Access Charging (PAC) program, extending a prior fully subscribed $2 million competitive version of this program. Improvements over the prior PAC program include accepting applications on a rolling basis and adding Level 1 charging stations as eligible equipment.
• An additional $1 million for a rolling-enrollment Workplace and Fleets (WPF) charging program, extending the existing $1.5 million program, for a total of $2.5 million. Improvements over the prior Workplace Charging and Fleets programs include allowing private and non-profit fleet owners to apply, adding Level 1 stations as eligible equipment for fleets, and adding coverage of installation costs for workplaces.
• An existing $1.5 million for a rolling-enrollment Multi-Unit Dwelling and Educational Campus charging program. Improvements over the prior program include reducing the minimum number of residential units from 10 to five, allowing educational campuses to apply, and adding coverage of installation costs.