The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) is a historic down-payment on electrifying and decarbonizing the transportation sector. The Zero Emission Transportation Association (ZETA) celebrated the bill’s passage and enactment into law.

Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (H.R.3684)

Electric Vehicle Charging: $7.5 billion is appropriated to build out a national network of electric vehicle charging stations to facilitate long-distance travel and provide convenient charging where people live, work, and shop. Eligible grant applicants include state and local governments, transit authorities, or tribes. This funding includes the National Electric Vehicle Formula Program, which is established to provide States with $5 billion to strategically deploy EV charging infrastructure over 5 years.

Zero-Emission and Low-Carbon School Buses: $5 billion is allocated to help state and local governments, eligible contractors, and nonprofit school transportation associations adopt low-carbon and zero-emission school buses.

Zero-Emission and Low-Carbon Transit: Allocates $5.25 billion so that bus testing facilities can acquire equipment and pursue capital projects related to testing new bus models. While the section requires that at least 25% of the funding be made available for low (but not zero) emission buses and vehicles, EV buses could be eligible for up to 75% of the funds.

Surface Transportation Block Grant Program: This grant program may now be used to fund EV charging infrastructure and vehicle-to-grid infrastructure. This includes the planning and construction of projects that facilitate intermodal connections between emerging transportation technologies.

Critical Minerals Supply Chains and Reliability: This provision streamlines the permitting process on federal land for critical minerals essential to domestic EV production. Specifically, it directs the Bureau of Land Management and the United States Forest Service to more efficiently complete federal permitting by creating and adhering to productive timelines and establishing permitting performance goals.

Battery Processing and Manufacturing: This grant program provides funding to expand the processing and manufacturing of advanced batteries in the U.S. through research ($60 million), demonstration ($50 million), commercial-scale processing ($100 million), and retrofitting projects ($50 million).

Advanced Energy Manufacturing and Recycling Grant Program: This $750 million grant program helps small- and medium-sized manufacturers build or retrofit manufacturing and industrial facilities to produce or recycle advanced energy products in former carbon communities.

Measures to Promote Greater Electrification of the Transportation Sector: The section directs states, through utility regulators, to consider measures to promote greater electrification of the transportation sector, including the establishment of rates that promote affordable and equitable charging options. 

Expands the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Program (ATVM): The section expands the ATVM Program within DOE’s Loan Program Office to include medium- and heavy-duty vehicles and off-road vehicles, including maritime technology.

Recycling R&D Appropriations: Appropriates $200 million (FY 2022–2026) to expand the Department of Energy’s work in research, development, and demonstration of electric vehicle battery recycling and second-life applications for vehicle batteries.