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Even though battery costs are rising, auto companies are rolling out more affordable electric vehicles that should widen their appeal to a larger group of buyers. The latest came Thursday from General Motors, a Chevrolet Equinox small SUV with a starting price around $30,000 and a range-per-charge of 250 miles (402 kilometers). You can get 300 miles if you pay more. GM won't release the exact price of the Equinox EV until closer to when it goes on sale, about this time next year. But the SUV is at the low end of Edmunds.com's list of prices for electric vehicles sold in the U.S. The average cost of an EV is now around $65,000. Industry analysts say hitting a price around $30,000 and a range per charge close to 300 miles is key to getting mainstream buyers to switch away from gasoline vehicles.

The Texas Department of Transportation next month will begin seeking businesses that want to help build out a statewide network of electric vehicle charging stations, and Waco-area transportation leaders will be asked to recommend sites in McLennan County.

The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program has set aside $407.8 million through 2026 for Texas’ plan, which will partner with businesses to pay for 80% of the charging infrastructure cost.

The state plan will ensure all interstate highways have DC fast-charging stations at least every 50 miles. Other state highways would have stations every 70 miles, and the seats of all 254 counties would have charging stations.

Each connector would be capable of handling at least 150 kilowatts, enough to bring a battery from 10% to 80% in 30 minutes, according to the Texas plan. That would give an electric vehicle an additional 120 to 200 miles of range.

Federal approval of the state plan is expected by the end of the month, allowing TxDOT to move forward in October to issue solicitations for private partners.

At first, electric vehicles were only available for those who could live with short-range econoboxes. Then came expensive luxury cars, and a few pickup trucks and delivery vans. Now they're heading into the heart of the U.S. auto market -- the compact SUV. And many of the new entries being sold or on the way have the range, price and features to stack up with their gas-powered competitors. Some are proving quite popular. Ford's $45,000-plus Mustang Mach-E is sold out for the model year. General Motors' Chevrolet brand introduced an electric version of the Blazer on Monday night, also starting around $45,000 including shipping. Coming next year is an electric Chevy Equinox and a number of others. "The intention and where we're pricing this product is to certainly make it more available for more mainstream buyers," Steve Majoros, Chevrolet marketing director, said of the Blazer EV. All can get about 300 miles per charge and are aimed at the small SUV segment, the largest part of the U.S. market with about 20% of new-vehicle sales.

During the multiyear rollout of the program, the state will work with regional metropolitan planning organizations to evaluate and award projects, Waco MPO Director Mukesh Kumar told the MPO board Thursday.

MPO board Chair Jim Holmes, who serves on the Waco City Council, said the process will depend on what businesses are willing to participate.

“I think it’s great that we have a say in where it goes,” Holmes said.

The state’s electric vehicle station plan shows MPO-based projects would begin in a couple of years, after the interstate highways, designated as “electric alternative fuel corridors,” are built out with stations. McLennan County could be eligible for $1.8 million from the program, according to the plan.

The plan, including interactive maps of existing and potential charging stations, can be found at https://www.txdot.gov/ projects/projects-studies/statewide/texas-electric- vehicle-planning-03-22-22.html.

The Waco area has a handful of charging options, including a six-charger DC fast-charging station at the Bellmead Walmart on I-35, according to Chevrolet.com. A few hotels and car dealerships also offer limited EV charging options for their customers, and the Collin Street Bakery on I-35 in Bellmead offers Tesla Superchargers, which are designed specifically for Tesla vehicles.

Also at Thursday’s MPO meeting, the board got an update on other federal funding opportunities on the horizon.

The Carbon Reduction Program is funded by the same Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act as the electric vehicle initiative and will provide the MPO with $549,000 a year for projects over the next five years.

“It’s a very small amount of money, but when used for low-cost, high-impact programs could be very effective,” Kumar said.

Cities in McLennan County are being asked to submit proposals to the MPO for consideration and possible approval in January. The projects require a 20% match from local governments.

Eligible projects would be judged on criteria including carbon reduction, equity, impact on future generations, connection to land use and readiness.

The MPO this month also applied for $560,000 from the Federal Highway Administration’s Safe Streets and Roads for All program to develop a plan to identify and remedy traffic dangers in the area. The awards are expected to be announced late this year or early next year, Kumar said.

Last fall, General Motors CEO Mary Barra made an audacious prediction: By the middle of this decade, her company would sell more electric vehicles in the U.S. than Tesla, the global sales leader. Since then, inflation has spiked, interest rates are rising, material costs have soared, and a global shortage of computer chips is still braking assembly lines at GM and other companies. Yet even as she faces immense economic forces that could knock many buyers out of the new-vehicle market, Barra is sticking with the promise.

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J.B. Smith is the the Tribune-Herald managing editor. A native of Sulphur Springs, he attended Southwestern University and joined the Tribune-Herald in 1997. He and his wife, Bethany, live in Waco and have two children.

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