ChargePoint Launches $1 Billion Effort To Add EV Chargers Across Rural America
ChargePoint has partnered with the National Association of Truck Stop Owners (NATSO) to launch a massive new $1 billion initiative to add EV charging to deploy DC fast charging and level 2 EV chargers at more than 4,000 NATSO member locations, travel stops, and fueling locations across the country.
Did you catch that? ChargePoint and NATSO are planning to spend $1 billion dollars to add charging to truck stops across the country. The move is a significant step towards creating a robust, cohesive network of EV charging stations across the center of rural America. The newly minted National Highway Charging Collaborative will support not only truck drivers, but travelers forging a path across, up, down, or around the United States.
“ChargePoint is proud to partner with NATSO to significantly expand access to charging along America’s highways while also ensuring that the implementation of charging infrastructure in rural areas accelerates in the years to come,” said Pasquale Romano, President and CEO, ChargePoint. “We are embarking on a major shift in transportation, with electrification poised to fundamentally transform mobility.”
On the EV charging front, adding stations at these key travel hubs is an obvious choice as it builds on established travel routes drivers have used for decades to navigate across the country. The National Highway Charging Collaborative will also fill in the gaps, connecting existing FAST Act corridors as defined by the Federal Highway Administration. “Collaborations like this are vital for the rapid expansion of charging around the country and will ensure that the United States remains at the forefront of the EV revolution,” Romano said.
Building EV charging stations at these existing travel stops is a win for drivers looking for not just a charge, but a place to recharge their own batteries for a few minutes while the vehicle gets topped up outside. Operators of the convenience stores, fueling stations, and the like at the stops also stand to win as today’s EV chargers take a bit longer to refuel the car compared to traditional petrol vehicles. That translates to more time in the store, restaurant, or shop for drivers to spend money on their wares.
“NATSO for the last 20 years has successfully advocated for incentives to enable our members to profitably incorporate renewable fuels into their fuel supply. We look forward to building on these successes so that the travel center industry can continue to play a leading role in bringing alternative fuels to its customers. Our collaboration with ChargePoint will undoubtedly help us do that,” said NATSO President and CEO Lisa Mullings.
The new partnership kicked off this month, with the work to add EV charging to all 4,000 fuel stops and travel plazas expected to run through 2030. The $1 billion in private and public funding will be identified by the two organizations as a core pillar of the project. They will seek to leverage relevant local, state, and federal incentive funds as well as money from the Volkswagen Settlement Appendix D Funds. Special funds and other resources available to NATSO members are also expected to play a role in funding the new program.
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