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MnDOT outlines EV charging rollout, NEVI funding pause and needs for 83 more statewide locations
Summary
MnDOT updated the Transportation Committee on the state’s electric vehicle infrastructure program — reporting contracts for 12 corridor locations, conditional awards forthcoming for additional sites, a federal pause on new NEVI guidance, and a statewide need estimate of roughly 83 non-interstate locations.
St. Paul — Minnesota Department of Transportation staff provided a progress report on the state’s electric vehicle infrastructure program, describing contracts for corridor chargers, pending awards, federal guidance changes and a statewide infrastructure gap analysis.
Amber Dahlman, office director for sustainability and public health at MnDOT, told the Transportation Committee that MnDOT has contracted for 12 locations on interstates 35 and 94 and expects construction to begin in spring with operational sites targeted by fall. A second request for proposals closed in January 2025; MnDOT completed scoring and said conditional awards would be announced in April.
Nut graf: MnDOT reported $10.4 million in NEVI obligations to date and said the agency had planned to program $68 million in federal funds for EV infrastructure. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) guidance for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program was paused in February pending revised guidance; MnDOT said the pause does not affect already-obligated contracts but does pause new obligations until updated guidance is issued.
Findings and costs
MnDOT summarized a draft statewide plan that identifies roughly 83 additional locations outside the main interstate corridors where charging should be prioritized to provide a reliable network. Dahlman noted estimated construction costs vary by location and port size; typical corridor locations with four ports have construction costs in the neighborhood of $1 million per site, while individual port costs can range based on power levels and site work.
The agency said funding for the first two request-for-proposal rounds totaled about $10 million for round one and roughly $13 million for round two; MnDOT said both rounds focused on interstate corridor coverage. The department also stressed that public-private partnerships are central to deployment and that many corridor and non-corridor sites involve convenience stores, gas stations and other private hosts for chargers.
Ending: MnDOT said it would finalize a statewide EV infrastructure plan in spring 2025 and continue conditional awards pending FHWA guidance. Committee members asked the agency to coordinate with private hosts and to provide updated cost and revenue estimates as federal guidance and market behavior evolve.
