Dallas-Fort Worth to get public EV chargers through federal grant
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More charging stations will be installed across Texas. Photo: Brett Comer/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images
North Texas is expected to get 100 new electric vehicle charging stations as part of $85 million in federal energy funding.
Driving the news: The North Central Texas Council of Governments will receive $15 million to install the public EV charging stations and $70 million to build as many as five hydrogen fueling stations in the state.
- Dallas-Fort Worth has more than 900 charging stations, though few are free.
The big picture: Hydrogen stations would fuel freight trucks moving across the state from Dallas-Fort Worth to Austin, Houston and San Antonio.
- The project's goal is to create a hydrogen fueling corridor from Texas to southern California.
Why it matters: The Biden administration is pushing alternative fuels as more environmentally friendly options in lieu of fossil fuels.
- Plus, the administration is offering incentives for hydrogen production, which would help semi-trucks move away from gas and diesel reliance and is more economical than electric freights.
Between the lines: EV adoption in Texas and some other GOP-led states has been slow. A new state law requires residents to pay $400 to register a new electric vehicle for two years and annual renewal is $200 to make up for lost gas tax revenue.
- Plus, Texas is challenging the Environmental Protection Agency's vehicle emission standards for cars and trucks built between 2023 and 2026.
By the numbers: Vehicles in Dallas-Fort Worth produced more than 39 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2019, per research conducted by the North Central Texas Council of Governments.
- On-road transportation — that's just us driving around — accounted for 88% of all transportation emissions, including aviation and railway freight.
- Yes, but: Residential and commercial electricity use accounted for 53% of all local emissions.
What's happening: The council of governments is developing the Dallas-Fort Worth Air Quality Improvement Plan with actions to improve the region's air between 2025 and 2030.
- The region's air quality does not meet federal standards.
- Part of the plan is to increase EV charging options and encourage adoption of the vehicles across the area, including Collin, Dallas, Denton and Tarrant counties.
Of note: Dallas ISD was just awarded $6.7 million from the EPA to replace existing school buses with zero-emission buses.
What's next: The council is hosting a listening session Jan. 24 on its air quality plan. A survey is open through the end of the month.
- The first draft of the plan will be released March 1.