The shift toward electric vehicles (EVs) is gaining traction, meaning the growth of EV charging station infrastructures is also taking off. One state with a strong commitment to this infrastructure is Nevada.

Last week, the Nevada Public Utilities Commission (NPUC) approved the annual plan of NV Energy for its $295 million renewable energy program, which includes $15 million for incentives to build new EV charging stations along roadways, at workplaces, and in multifamily dwellings throughout the state, with a strong emphasis on fast-charging EV stations along the roadways. The program will also provide rebates and technical assistance to support the electrification of bus and truck fleets.

In announcing the decision, which received the support of NV Energy, the NPUC, the Governor's Office of Energy, the Bureau of Consumer Protection, and a number of clean energy technology companies, Commissioner Bruce Breslow noted that Governor Brian Sandoval wants Nevada to be the first state in the West to have an entire EV charging system on its highways by 2020.

However, Nevada isn't the only state aggressively pursuing an EV infrastructure. In fact, in the largest single state level investment in the nation, the California Public Utilities Commission recently approved more than $760 million worth of transportation electrification projects by the state's three investor-owned utilities.

The East Coast is also moving ahead quickly. New York announced a $40 million commitment to EV infrastructure, Massachusetts approved a $45 million EV charging station program, and utility companies in Maryland are proposing to spend $104 million for an EV charging station network.

Furthermore, a coalition of 12 Eastern states, plus the District of Columbia, called the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM), recently announced a coordinated effort to build an EV charging station infrastructure along major highways traversing and linking these states. Besides D.C., the states are Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia.