ChargePoint, the world’s largest electric vehicle (EV) charging network, and NATSO, which represents America’s travel plazas and truckstops, say they have partnered to create a National Highway Charging Collaborative to extend EV charging across the country.
Over the next decade, the Collaborative will leverage $1 billion in capital to deploy charging at more than 4,000 travel plazas and fuel stops that serve highway travelers and rural communities. This expansion will link America’s drivers to a vast and growing charging network in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, significantly increasing access to charging as EV adoption accelerates. The effort will not only enable long-distance electric travel along major routes but will also provide vital access to charging in rural communities.
“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,” says Pasquale Romano, president and CEO of ChargePoint.
“We are embarking on a major shift in transportation, with electrification poised to fundamentally transform mobility. Collaborations like this are vital for the rapid expansion of charging around the country and will ensure that the U.S. remains at the forefront of the EV revolution,” adds Romano.
By 2040, some analysts expect that 40% of new vehicle sales will be electric, with at least 100 new EV models expected to hit American roadways within the next five years. This collaborative will not only increase access to charging for drivers but will help improve mobility on America’s highways and connect existing Federal Highway Administration-designated FAST Act corridors.
The partnership was formalized as part of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by Pasquale Romano and Lisa Mullings, president and CEO of NATSO.
Photo: A ChargePoint EV charging station.