Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Plan

NEVI Grants Webpage

MnDOT will be funding the first round of investments of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program through grants to third parties. We have created a new webpage called National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program in Minnesota. The page has information on eligibility, anticipated timeline and how to get ready to apply. Additional information, to include the Request for Proposal, will be posted on this page when it is available.

Update Webinar/Q&A

MnDOT will host an update webinar on the NEVI project with time for participant questions on September 18, 2023 from 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. Register for the webinar

MnDOT submitted the required annual NEVI plan update to FHWA on July 31, 2023. FHWA will review and approve state plan updates by September 30, 2023. Once MnDOT has the plan approval it will be posted to this page.

We continue to work on development of the site application Request for Proposals that will be released later this year. The exact date has not been determined. A grants webpage is being created where application information will be posted. We will host an update webinar on September 18, 2023 from 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM to review updates and take questions. Register for the webinar

MnDOT will be seeking qualified teams to construct, own, operate, and maintain NEVI charging stations which will be built on private land (or public non-MnDOT land). MnDOT will not own, operate, or maintain the charging stations. Teams will be selected through a competitive process later this year, where each team submits a comprehensive proposal for the charging station.

MnDOT is requesting potential future NEVI site hosts, which include the property owners and businesses where charging stations will be built, provide feedback via this survey by June 30, 2023. Your feedback will help MnDOT develop an application process to assess and select teams to develop, operate, and maintain the DC fast charging stations.

Information gathered will help MnDOT develop an application process to assess and select teams to develop, operate, and maintain the DC fast charging stations. The purpose of this survey is for information-gathering purposes only. MnDOT will NOT select a vendor(s) for DCFC infrastructure deployment based on responses to this industry survey. No contracts will result from this industry survey.

The survey will be open through June 30.

MnDOT has created an online mapping tool for any interested parties to view the clusters and exits that are part of the NEVI round 1 location site application process. Data layers that will be helpful in the site application development process are available including Utility contacts, driving distances from exists, wetland and floodplains, etc. The map can be found online on MnDOT’s website. Some updates have been made to clusters and exits and will be included in the 2023 annual plan update to FHWA.

Since the updated guidance from FHWA released and after more detailed review for site feasibility MnDOT will be making some modifications to the 2022 planned clusters. Updates are to ensure distance requirements can be met and to remove interchanges that were only accessible from one side of the roadway.

In the Minnesota 2023 Legislative Session MnDOT was given statutory authority to establish the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program. The following enabling language is now part of Chapter 68 of Minnesota law effective August 1, 2023:

Section 69 Sec. 69.

[174.47] ELECTRIC VEHICLE INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM.

Subd. 3.Authority to contract.

The commissioner may enter into an agreement with any private or public entity to provide financial assistance for, or engage in the Planning, designing, developing, hosting, constructing, equipping, operating, or maintaining of, electric vehicle infrastructure, including but not limited to environmental studies, preliminary engineering, final design, construction, and developing financial and operating plans.

MnDOT now plans to move forward with a grant process and Request for Proposals for NEVI Formula Program funded sites is anticipated in early fall.

MnDOT was also allocated funding to provide the non-federal match to IIJA programs with funds from the Minnesota State budget in FY 2024 (July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024) and FY 2025 (July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025). Funds will be available through June 30, 2027. Details as to how much of the non-federal match that will be for NEVI and for what uses are still being developed. Non-federal match funds that are not covered by the state funding will be the responsibility of the third parties awarded contracts.

On June 2, 2023, FHWA released updated guidance and FAQs for the NEVI Formula Program as well as the annual plan update template for State DOTs. The guidance also provides clarification on what FHWA will require to determine if a road is fully built out for NEVI compliance. This information can be found on the FHWA NEVI Program page.

MnDOT held five regional in-person meetings and one statewide virtual meeting in April and May 2023 to gather input on charging station need, roadways of interest for locating charging stations and potential future nomination of roads as Alternative Fuel Corridors for EVs. FHWA released the memo for Round 7 of Alternative Fuel Corridor nominations on May 18, 2023, with applications due by June 21, 2023.

MnDOT has made the decision not to nominate any additional roads as AFCs during Round 7. Currently, MnDOT has I-94 and I-35 as alternative fuel corridors. To date we have not installed a charging station along them, and the earliest installation is anticipated in summer/fall of 2024. While there is interest in this opportunity, MNDOT does not know what kind of proposals will be received and how easily the responses will support completion of the two AFCs. MnDOT also needs to better understand the process of providing grant funds to private industry. Implementing charging stations in phase one will help us better navigate future solicitations with private partners. MnDOT is committed to work with partners to provide a standardized charging experience. Establishing another AFC is one way to support standardized charging, and MnDOT is open to nominating additional AFCs in future rounds. MnDOT staff continue to engage with partners statewide to understand what people want to see in an EV charging network. Input and feedback gathered will inform and support our EV plan updates and build out of the network.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation’s Office of Sustainability & Public Health is hosting a virtual conversation about Alternative Fuel Corridors (AFCs) and the potential for Minnesota to nominate additional roads in future Federal Highway Administration designation rounds. We’re seeking input from interested members of the community on Electric Vehicle charging needs and potential future priorities and corridors. This virtual meeting will be on May 22, from 9 - 11 AM. Register here for this virtual meeting hosted through Webex.

Agenda will include

1. Review of the MN Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Plan status
2. Discuss pros and cons of designating additional roads as AFCs
3. Understand the capacity and interest of communities and utilities in various levels of EV charging

Background

The U.S. DOT Alternative Fuel Corridor Nominations process started under the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST) Act in 2015 and were modified a bit under the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Minnesota currently has two roads designated as Alternative Fuel Corridors (AFC) for Electric Vehicles – I-94 and I-35. This designation is important in determining how some of the federal IIJA funds can be spent on charging stations, the numbers, type, etc.

Register here for this virtual meeting hosted through Webex.

MnDOT invites and encourages participation by all. If you need an ASL, a foreign language interpreter, documents in an alternative format (such as braille, large print or in a different language), or another reasonable accommodation for this email or event, please email your request to Janet Miller at ADArequest.dot@state.mn.us or call 651-366-4720.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation’s Office of Sustainability & Public Health will host in-person conversations about the next round of nominating roads as Alternative Fuel Corridors. Dates, times and locations are listed below. We’re seeking input from interested members of the community on the future corridors and we’d like your perspective. No registration is required to attend, and the same agenda will be used in all locations.

MnDOT invites and encourages participation by all. If you need an ASL, a foreign language interpreter, documents in an alternative format (such as braille, large print or in a different language), or another reasonable accommodation for this email or event, please email your request to Janet Miller at ADArequest.dot@state.mn.us or call 651-366-4720.

A virtual meeting will take place on May 22, 2023, from 9 AM – 11 AM. Registration details will be sent out separately.

Background

The U.S. DOT Alternative Fuel Corridor Nominations process started under the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST) Act in 2015 and were modified a bit under the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Minnesota currently has two roads designated as Alternative Fuel Corridors (AFC) for Electric Vehicles – I-94 and I-35. This designation is important in determining how some of the federal IIJA funds can be spent on charging stations, the numbers, type, etc.

Round 6 of nominations happened in February – May 2022 with a focus on DC Fast Chargers and Interstates. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has not released the criteria for the upcoming Round 7 yet, but it is anticipated in the first half of 2023.

Agenda will include

1. Review of the MN Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Plan status
2. Discuss pros and cons of designating additional roads as AFCs
3. Understand the capacity and interest of communities and utilities in various levels of EV charging

Locations, Dates, Times

• April 14 – 1:30 – 3:30 PM

Location – Southeast - MnDOT Rochester Headquarters, 2900 48th Street NW, Rochester, MN 55901-5848

• April 27 – 1:00 – 3:00 PM

Location – Northeast - MnDOT Duluth Headquarters, 1123 Mesaba Ave., Duluth, MN 55811

• May 3 – 1:00 – 3:00 PM

Location – Southwest – Windom Community Center, 1750 Cottonwood Lake Dr., Windom, MN 56101

• May 11 – 9:00 – 11:00 AM

Location – Central - MnDOT Baxter Headquarters,7694 Industrial Park Road, Baxter, MN 56425-8096

• May 11 – 2:00 – 4:00 PM

Location – Northwest – MnDOT Bemidji Headquarters, 3920 Highway 2 West, Bemidji, MN 56601

The Minnesota Electric Vehicle (EV) Infrastructure Plan identified potential locations for EV chargers along I-94 and I-35. MnDOT will use federal funds from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program (NEVI) to install EV chargers there first. As we think about the next round of charging stations funded through the NEVI program, MnDOT is asking for your input through a new survey. This survey also asks questions about the benefits of EV chargers. Your responses will help MnDOT collect the right type of information to evaluate the success of investments in EV chargers. Take the survey. now through May 31, 2023.