North Carolina announces first award in EV charging station program

On Wednesday, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper announced the first round of awards for developer to install and operate Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations using National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program funds.

The N.C. Department of Transportation awarded contracts to six businesses who will be able to install and operate EV charging stations in nine locations along major highways and interstate. Totaling $5.92 million in grant funding, the awards are part of the state’s $109 million in NEVI program funding for building out the EV charging network across the state over the next seven years.

“This is an exciting start, but there’s so much more to come for clean transportation,” Cooper said. “By expanding the EV charging network, all North Carolinians will be able to choose transportation options that are more efficient, more affordable and better for our environment.”

Officials said the nine locations are the first of an estimated 50 locations that will need to be built-out as part of the state’s alternative fuel corridor. The NCDOT said the awards to the businesses for the charging stations are conditional because the businesses have certain requirements to meet as part of the National Environmental Policy Act, the requests for proposal and the contract. Businesses selected will build EV charging stations on I-40, I-77 and I-485, as well as U.S. 17, U.S. 74, U.S. 70, and U.S 64.

“We’re working to maximize the use of the available funds to build out an efficient network of chargers,” Joey Hopkins, NCDOT secretary, said. “Eventually, we’ll have publicly-funded EV chargers that fill in coverage gaps along our major corridors in the state and in our communities. We want a network that is reliable and easily accessible for people in rural and urban areas.”

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