The US Energy Secretary announced new steps underway at the Department of Energy (DoE) to accelerate the deployment of electric vehicles. This includes the availability of $5m in new funding for community-based efforts to deploy electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure and charging stations. Under the $5m in electric vehicle funding, local governments and private companies will partner to apply for funding to help accelerate installation of electric vehicle charging stations and infrastructure. Communities will work to develop plans and strategies for EV deployment, update their EV permitting processes, develop incentive programs, or launch other local or regional initiatives that improve the experience of EV users and help bring these highly energy-efficient vehicles in the marketplace. He also outlined a partnership with Google Inc. and more than 80 EV stakeholders to help consumers find charging stations nationwide. DoE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is joining with Google Inc. and various industry leaders to provide consumers with consistent, up-to-date information about the EV charging stations in communities nationwide.