President Joe Biden announced the awarding of $2.8 billion in new Department of Energy grants for projects meant to boost America’s transition to electric vehicles.
Biden previously announced his goal of transitioning the U.S. fleet to 50% electric by 2030 and has previously moved to force the federal government to transition the federal fleet ahead of that schedule.
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This tranche of funds, allocated by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will be awarded to 20 battery manufacturing and processing plants in 12 different states: Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Tennessee, and Washington. Michigan, where the president has repeatedly traveled to and touted as the center of the EV revolution, was not awarded new grants Wednesday.
Furthermore, Biden announced the American Battery Materials Initiative, which senior administration officials say will “mobilize the entire government in securing a reliable and sustainable supply of critical minerals used for power, electricity, and electric vehicles.”
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The two actions together will “improve America’s energy independence, strengthen national security, support good-paying jobs across battery supply chains, and lower costs for working families,” the White House added.
The president’s announcement comes 20 days out from when voters will cast ballots in the midterm elections. He is scheduled to deliver remarks on the grants and his economic proposals Wednesday afternoon at the White House.
