$52 million is on the table for EV charging infrastructure along Alabama's designated corridors. Here's what operators need to know — funding structure, scoring criteria, target sites, technical requirements, and the full application checklist — before the June 4 deadline.
The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program is a $5 billion federal initiative to build a national network of public DC fast charging stations. Alabama's share — administered through the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) — arrives as a competitive reimbursement grant. You build it. You pay for it. ADECA reimburses up to 80% after review.
Round 3 is the final major tranche. After the federal funding pause in early 2025 — reversed by a federal court order — FHWA issued new August 2025 guidance giving states more flexibility on site selection and procurement. Alabama filed its updated FY26 NEVI Plan, received FHWA approval September 9, 2025, and opened applications April 22, 2026.
| Program Detail | Specifics |
|---|---|
| Total pool (Round 3) | $52,046,990 |
| Federal share | Up to 80% of eligible project costs |
| Match required | Minimum 20% non-federal |
| Workforce set-aside | Up to $2,000,000 |
| Delivery model | Design-Build-Operate-Maintain (DBOM) |
| Reimbursement structure | Costs incurred first; reimbursed after ADECA review |
| Questions deadline | May 8, 2026 — ev@adeca.alabama.gov |
| Application deadline | June 4, 2026 · 11:59 p.m. CT — hard deadline |
NEVI is not an advance grant. You incur costs first and submit for reimbursement after ADECA reviews your invoices. Confirm your organization has the capital to carry full project costs through the review cycle — potentially 60–180+ days — before committing to a site.
Applications are scored competitively against each other using ADECA's published Scoring Guide. The strongest applications stack multiple top-tier criteria at a single site. The table below reflects criteria and weights from the FY26 Alabama NEVI Plan and Round 3 scoring documentation.
NEVI stations must be within 1 mile of a designated AFC interchange exit and maintain ≥50-mile spacing unless a gap-closure or redundancy justification applies. Alabama designated the following corridors through FHWA AFC Rounds 1–7.
| Corridor | Route | Status | R1 Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| I-65 | Mobile → Montgomery → Birmingham → Decatur → TN border | Core AFC | Falkville, Atmore, Prattville |
| I-20 | MS border → Tuscaloosa → Birmingham → Talladega → GA border | Core AFC | Jasper area |
| I-59 | MS border → Gadsden → Birmingham → GA border | Core AFC | Gadsden (Silver Comet) |
| I-85 | Montgomery → Auburn → Opelika → GA border | Core AFC | Limited |
| I-10 | MS border → Mobile → Daphne → FL border | Core AFC | Irvington (Love's) |
| I-22 | MS border → Hamilton → Jasper → Birmingham | Partial | Hamilton, Jasper (Love's) |
| I-565 / I-165 / I-459 / spurs | Huntsville, Mobile, Birmingham metro spurs | Spur AFC | Varies |
The following sites score highest on a combined analysis of gap closure, multi-corridor coverage, and hurricane evacuation route overlay. Use the scoring matrix (downloadable below) to run your candidate sites through every criterion before committing to an application.
Any application that fails to meet these standards is disqualified regardless of how well it scores on other criteria. These are non-negotiable FHWA program requirements, not ADECA preferences.
OCPI and OCPP network integration is mandatory for real-time uptime reporting to FHWA via ADECA. This is not optional. Confirm your network platform's integration capability before submitting. If a gap exists, document a credible implementation timeline in your application narrative — this is the most common technical failure point in NEVI applications nationally.
Every compliant NEVI Round 3 application must address the following sections. Use this as your internal tracking checklist before submission.
| # | Item | Required? |
|---|---|---|
| Section A — Applicant Information | ||
| A1 | Legal entity name and organization type — match exactly to business registration | Required |
| A2 | Federal Tax ID / EIN — required for reimbursement processing | Required |
| A3 | Primary contact — name, title, email, phone | Required |
| A4 | Organizational capacity statement — financial capacity, EVSE experience, team qualifications | Required |
| A5 | DUNS / UEI / SAM.gov registration — verify with ADECA | Verify |
| Section B — Project Description | ||
| B1 | Project name and site address — legal address, parcel number if available | Required |
| B2 | AFC corridor identification — specific designated AFC(s) the site serves | Required |
| B3 | Interchange exit — highway and exit number; confirm site ≤1 mile | Required |
| B4 | Gap analysis — mileage to nearest NEVI station in each direction, with map | Required |
| B5 | Number of AFC corridors served at the proposed interchange | Required |
| B6 | Project narrative (250–500 words) — gap closure rationale, community benefit, NEVI alignment | Required |
| Section C — Technical Specifications | ||
| C1 | EVSE equipment make and model — must be NEVI-compliant | Required |
| C2 | Port count and power: 4 ports minimum, ≥150 kW each simultaneously | Required |
| C3 | Connector type(s) — open plug standard (NACS and/or CCS dual-head) | Required |
| C4 | OCPI / OCPP integration — network provider named, compliance confirmed | Required ⚠ |
| C5 | Uptime commitment and 24/7 customer support plan | Required |
| C6 | BABA / Buy America compliance documentation for all hardware | Required |
| C7 | ADA compliance narrative — hardware, mounting, payment terminal, approach path | Required |
| C8 | Site plan / conceptual layout — station location, electrical route, ADA path | Recommended |
| Section D — Site Control & Readiness | ||
| D1 | LOI or executed lease from host property owner | Required |
| D2 | Utility confirmation — Alabama Power / TVA capacity, make-ready quote preferred | Required |
| D3 | Permitting status — required permits, local authority, timeline, no blockers confirmed | Recommended |
| D4 | Environmental / historical screening — not in floodplain, wetland, or sensitive area | Verify |
| Section E — Scoring Criterion Documentation | ||
| E1 | Hurricane evacuation route — ALDOT map showing site proximity (required for evac bonus) | If applicable |
| E2 | Justice40 verification — CEJST screenshot showing tract designation | If applicable |
| E3 | EV registration / demand data — county or zip EV registration supporting demand case | If applicable |
| E4 | AADT traffic volume — ALDOT count for AFC segment at proposed exit | Recommended |
| Section F — Financial Plan | ||
| F1 | Total project cost estimate — itemized; separate eligible vs. ineligible costs | Required |
| F2 | Federal funding requested — total eligible × 0.80 | Required |
| F3 | 20% match documentation — source, commitment letter if available | Required |
| F4 | Financial capacity — bank statements or line of credit to carry reimbursement cycle | Required |
| F5 | Alabama Power make-ready rebate status — reduces 20% match burden | Recommended |
| Section G — Operations & Maintenance Plan | ||
| G1 | O&M plan — maintenance protocol, staffing, monitoring, 99% uptime commitment | Required |
| G2 | Pricing / tariff — publicly posted, non-discriminatory | Required |
| G3 | Workforce development plan — if claiming $2M set-aside | If applicable |
| Section H — Certifications & Signatures | ||
| H1 | Authorized signatory certification | Required |
| H2 | Title VI / Civil Rights compliance certification | Required |
| H3 | Debarment / suspension certification | Required |
| H4 | Conflict of interest disclosure | Required |
| Resource | Contact / Link |
|---|---|
| ADECA NEVI program page | adeca.alabama.gov/nevi — Application, Program Guide, Scoring Guide, ArcGIS Map |
| ADECA EV email | ev@adeca.alabama.gov — Questions deadline May 8, 2026 |
| ADECA phone | 334-242-5290 |
| Justice40 / CEJST mapping | justice40.whitehouse.gov |
| ALDOT Hurricane Evac Map | dot.state.al.us — search Hurricane Evacuation Routes |
| Alabama Power EV make-ready | Contact Alabama Power EV team directly for tiered rebate details |
| NEVI technical standards | 23 C.F.R. Part 680 — minimum EVSE requirements |