On February 10, the U.S. Department of Transportation proposed to expand a “Buy America” public interest waiver for electric vehicle or EV chargers that would raise the required domestic content from 55 percent up to 100 percent.
[Above photo via the USDOT]
The agency said in a statement that updating the “Buy America” requirement for EV chargers would “strengthen domestic manufacturing, generate new American jobs, make U.S. businesses more competitive, and address potential national security concerns.”
Once the updated waiver is finalized, the agency said this requirement will be immediately applicable to federally funded EV charger projects during acquisition or installation.
The Federal Highway Administration is also proposing to modify the final waiver to require that EV chargers be manufactured in the United States and that up to 100 percent of the cost of all components of an EV charger purchased or installed with FHWA-administered funds be domestic.
USDOT emphasized that manufacturers today have the capacity to produce EV chargers in facilities located within the United States, providing an opportunity to maximize the domestic content of products purchased with federal taxpayer dollars. USDOT added that from a national security standpoint, this change would protect Americans from foreign-made EV charger components that use technology with cybersecurity vulnerabilities.
“This proposal is designed to provide a strong incentive for manufacturers to rapidly shift their processes toward domestic manufacturing,” USDOT noted, stressing that “this approach will be effective in fulfilling the Trump administration’s strong commitment to help American businesses and workers compete and thrive in the global marketplace.”
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