ATLANTA — Electric vehicle owners will eventually have another 26 places to recharge when motoring through Georgia after the state awarded $24.4 million in federal funding to build chargers along highways and interstates.

“This investment will help further secure our status as a national leader in innovation and infrastructure for years to come,” Gov. Brian Kemp said of the money from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

The Act, which took effect in 2021 during the administration of President Joe Biden, allocated $5 billion nationwide over five years to foster a network of electric vehicle charging stations.

Georgia’s share was $135 million.

The money is awarded in public-private partnerships and covers up to 80% of project costs.

Six winning bidders were announced last week by the Georgia Department of Transportation. This was the second round of contracts, with the first issued last year.

The chargers — four at each site — must be installed and maintained for around the clock operation for at least five years. They must be equipped with Direct Current Fast Charging ports, which can fully recharge a vehicle battery in as few as 20 minutes. 

Georgia’s plan designates a series of alternative fuel corridors across the state that will be the first to deploy fast-charging stations that comply with federal guidelines. Currently, most EV owners in Georgia charge their vehicles at home, a slower process typically carried out overnight.

The corridors will be located along interstates 75, 85, 95, 20, 185, and 16; U.S. 82 and U.S. 441; Interstate 985/U.S. 23; and Interstate 575/Ga. 515.