Electric vehicles drivers could soon travel further in Idaho

A state official says electric vehicle drivers in Idaho must still stick close to their home cities, but that could change in the next two to three years as more charging stations are built and technology advances.

John Chatburn of the Governor’s Office of Energy and Mineral Resources told lawmakers Thursday that Idaho has a program to put in charging stations on major travel routes.

Chatburn also told lawmakers at a joint meeting of the House Environment, Energy and Technology Committee and the Senate Transportation Committee that a lot of people would be amazed at how many charging stations already exist in the state.

To put in more charging stations, Idaho is using about $2.8 million from a settlement Volkswagen made in 2016 with the federal government for a decade-long conspiracy to deceive the Environmental Protection Agency by cheating on emissions tests.