Destinations Roll Out Electric Vehicle Charging Stations as a Tourism Draw
Photo Credit: Destinations, like this one in California, have an opportunity to get money to support the development of their electric vehicleinfrastructure Ron Gilbert / Flickr
Skift Take
Travel industry businesses have an opportunity to shape their destination's long-term future right before electric vehicle adoption takes off.
Destinations and businesses may have an opportunity to grow their tourism economies and brands with electric vehicle drivers. Large sums of newly available federal funding could help them install charging stations at locations that bring visitors — and revenue.
To promote the proliferation of electric car adoption, the Biden Administration and Congress are making billions of dollars available to states and businesses to invest in charging stations.
In February, the Biden Administration made nearly $5 billion available over five years to states to boost electric vehicle infrastructure.
State governments will build a network of charging stations spaced a maximum distance of 50 miles apart along designated corridors. As of September, all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have been approved for fiscal years 2022 and 2023.
Another Biden program, budged at $2.5 billion, governments, agencies and other entities are eligible to apply for grants to receive funding to build publicly accessible charging stations along designated alternative fuel corridors. At least 50 percent of this funding has been aside for community grant programs where priority is given to projects that expand charging infrastructure within rural areas, low-and moderate-income neighborhoods and communities with a low ratio of private parking space.
Under the discretionary program, communities and private businesses like hotels and attractions can submit bids for grants to help pay for charging stations, which can cost upwards
