The first DC fast charger in US’s “nationwide network” is online

Two weeks ago, GM and Pilot Flying J announced that the first batch of DC fast charging stations the two are building in partnership had come online. What wasn’t known until now is that one of those stations — specifically, in Ohio — was built using funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s program to create a nationwide EV charging network, NEVI.

The Pilot Flying J DC fast charging station in London, Ohio was opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony this week, and it is the first such station built using NEVI funds, according to the Ohio DOT. The 350 kW stalls split to 175 kW per vehicle when both sides of the charging pylon are in use.

NEVI will allocate $5 billion to the various states over the course of the program’s duration, which runs through 2026. Ohio was earmarked for $20 million in NEVI funding in 2022, and was estimated to receive around $30 million in funding for 2023. For its part, this Ohio station is just one that GM and Pilot Flying J plan to build at 500 PFJ locations with over 2000 stalls installed in total — which is to say, presumably only a fraction of those being built are using NEVI funds.

NEVI requirements state that each charger in a given location must be able to supply at least 150 kW of power, that there must be at least four such chargers (with CCS connectors), and at least 600 kW of total power per location (meaning a single 350 kW stall on its own would not qualify for funds).

The first supplier to win an order using NEVI funds was Tritium, from the state of Hawaii back in July. Presumably, we’ll be hearing a lot about NEVI chargers coming online in the next year as the states begin to actually deploy the systems they’ve purchased — for example, Utah says it will use those funds to double its DC fast charging capacity in 2024.