Ohio announces first NEVI funded charging locations
The US state of Ohio has announced 27 new fast charger locations along federally-designated EV corridors. The state will invest 18 million dollars in funds from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Programme.
The stations will be built along seven major state highways, including I-70, I-71, I-74, I-75, I-76, I-77. All sites will feature at least four charger ports with 150 kW each. According to the office of Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, the locations will be 50 miles apart and situated at most one mile off the interstate. Moreover, they will “be accessible 24/7 with easy access to food, drink, and restrooms.”
The development is part of the US NEVI Programme. The state government says that it was the first US state to issue a request for charging station proposals last autumn and the first to pursue EV charger development as part of the federal programme.
A second request for proposals to install an additional 16 fast chargers will follow this autumn.
“Our strategy throughout this process has been intentional. Each location was bid as a separate project to give Ohio a competitive advantage, stretching every dollar available to us,” says Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) Director Jack Marchbanks. “We’re just getting started. We anticipate significant funding left over after the first two rounds that can be used to further cement Ohio’s place in this transportation revolution.”
The state will provide 18 million dollars in funding from the NEVI fund. Private operators will invest an additional 6 million dollars in the infrastructure’s installation and operation. Operators include Pilot Travel Centers, TH Midwest, Meijer Stores, EVgo Services, ChargeNet Stations, Equilon/Shell, and Francis Energy.
Also, fast charger maker SK Signet just signed a deal with Francis Energy to supply 1,000 EV chargers with an output of 400 kW each. The goal is to also profit from federal funding. As part of the NEVI programme, the Biden administration is providing a total of 5 billion dollars for the expansion of charging infrastructure across the USA.
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