The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commision has been awarded a $15-million grant from the Federal Highway Administration to expand electric vehicle infrastructure across central Ohio, the commission announced Thursday.
The federal grant is earmarked for MORPC’s Mid-Ohio Regional Equity for Electric Vehicle Stations (MORE EVS) project, and will facilitate the expansion of electric vehicle charging stations at 62 locations across 13 counties with a focus on underserved urban and rural areas. The overall goal is to increase accessibility to charging stations, reduce carbon emissions, and support central Ohio’s transition to sustainable transportation, MORPC said.
The MORE EVS project, a partnership of 32 organizations that include nonprofit organizations, local governments, and public agencies, will lead to the installation of 406 EV charging ports, including 334 Level 2 ports and 72 DC Fast Charging ports. Additionally, up to 50 curbside charging ports are planned for the city of Columbus. The project is predicted to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by over 4,000 tons.