EV Ownership in Montana: Is It Feasible? | Toyota of Bozeman

Ten years ago, EVs were the future. Brands like Tesla promised a world powered by batteries, supposed to usher us into a new world of green energy. Looking back, those dreams seem a little optimistic. While EVs are a common sight on the road now, many of us are wary of their downsides, especially when driving in a remote state like Montana. While EV’s may make sense for warm-weather city commuters, are they built to endure in Montana? More importantly, do we even have the charging infrastructure to support EV ownership in Montana? Below, we’ll highlight everything you need to know about Montana EV infrastructure, and how growing access to EVs is changing transportation in the state. 

Montana EV Project

It’s been a tough year for EVs. The Biden administration earmarked billions of dollars for EV growth through various spending programs, while the Trump administration has systematically sought to root them out. Most notably, the $7,500 federal EV tax credit is no longer available. Making it more difficult for folks to afford a new EV. Despite the turmoil, one program has remained unaffected: the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program. The NEVI was created to establish a nationwide network of EV chargers, through various corridors, of which Montana is home to several. Highways I-90, I-94, US-93, I-15, and US-2 are all set to benefit from 43 billion dollars of EV chargers over the next four years, saturating these corridors for EV infrastructure. We’ve already seen massive investment in the Bozeman area, with 219 charging stations in our county alone. It’s not our job to speculate, but red and blue states are lining up to build up EV infrastructure, and lawmakers seem content protecting this program as millions of new EVs are projected to hit the roads over the next few years. As we continue to see Montana EV chargers spring up around the state, EVs should continue to grow in popularity. What does this mean for you? For now, we’d only recommend driving a Toyota bZ4X or C-HR if you’re in a city like Bozeman or Livingston. For folks who live along these corridors, purchasing an EV may make sense once infrastructure is more fully developed in more rural areas. For drivers who live some distance from the major roadways, you’ll want to continue relying on your ICE vehicles. 

Toyota EVs in Bozeman, MT

As access to Montana EV infrastructure continues to expand, buying an EV has started to become a more realistic prospect, even in Montana! If you’re looking for an EV best suited to deliver in Montana, consider a Toyota bZ4X or a Toyota C-HR! Both of our EV SUVs deliver AWD powertrains, making them adept at navigating all the tricky weather Montana has to throw at you. If you live in a rural area, or plan to off-road frequently, we’d still direct you to gas models like the 4Runner or Tacoma, but for the majority of Montana drivers, if you don’t have an EV charging station within five miles, that’s likely to change by 2030. If you’d like to learn more about how Toyota EVs withstand Montana’s harsh conditions, visit Toyota of Bozeman today!