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Despite growing uncertainty around federal EV charging policy, fast-charging infrastructure in the US isn’t slowing down — it’s doing the opposite.

A new industry report from EV charging data firm Paren shows that 2025 is shaping up to be a record-breaking year for DC fast charger deployment. The “State of the Industry Report: US EV Fast Charging – Q2 2025” forecasts a 19% year-over-year jump in port installations – 16,700 new fast charging ports – and that’s on top of a record 2024.

Q2 saw 4,242 new DC fast charging ports come online, bringing the total to 59,694 – a 23% increase. That’s 784 new DC fast charging stations. It’s important to note that Trump may have yanked the NEVI funding (and then was made to give some of it back by the courts), but many of those projects were already underway. Paren expects that momentum to continue through the rest of 2025. Plus, NEVI chargers make up just a single-digit percentage of the new DC fast chargers coming online in 2025.

“2025 is going to be a record year for deployment of DC fast charging ports – and 2024 was already the highest year on record,” said Loren McDonald, chief analyst at Paren. “Charging 2.0 players are deploying new – and larger – stations at a breakneck pace.”

Paren’s data shows that the industry is consolidating around bigger fast-charging hubs with 8, 10, 12, or more ports, and high-powered hardware that supports faster charging and higher throughput. Reliability is improving too: the firm’s U.S. Reliability Index posted a 5.3% year-over-year gain as aging chargers get replaced and more robust stations come online.

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National average utilization dipped slightly in Q2 to 16.1%, down from 16.6% in Q1. While part of that drop is due to warmer weather, Paren flagged some surprising slowdowns in markets where charger use has historically been strong – a possible early sign that charger growth may be starting to outpace EV adoption in some areas.

On the pricing front, fast charging got slightly cheaper overall. The national average price per kilowatt-hour fell to $0.48, down from $0.50 in Q1. That’s because more stations are switching from flat-rate pricing to time-of-use (TOU) models – 366 stations made that switch last quarter alone, and one-third of those were in California.

But that doesn’t mean prices are dropping everywhere. Nearly a third of stations with fixed or TOU pricing tweaked their rates in Q2, either up or down. In California, average prices actually went up by three cents among the stations that made changes.

Paren concludes that all signs point to the EV charging industry entering a new phase – what it calls “Charging 2.0” – where scale, speed, and customer experience are driving the next wave of deployment. And while federal incentives may be dialing back, private investment is stepping up.

“Charge point operators who deliver a strong customer experience – prioritizing speed, reliability, seamless payment and pricing transparency, premium amenities, and safe, well-lit locations – will earn long-term loyalty from EV drivers,” said Heiko Schmidt, VP, network strategy & consumer offering at Mercedes-Benz HPC North America.

Read more: Wawa is getting ultra-fast EV chargers from IONNA


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Report: Ferrari were SO impressed by the Xiaomi SU7, they bought one

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Report: Ferrari were SO impressed by the Xiaomi SU7, they bought one

With its tire-blistering acceleration and record-setting performance, the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra has been getting attention throughout the auto industry, impressing everyone who’s seen it. That “everyone” now seems to include the OG supercar brand, itself.

CarNewsChina posted pictures from a Weibo user that reportedly show a Xiaomi SU7 Ultra exiting the storied Ferrari factory in Maranello, Italy. According to a Chinese blogger going by 西米露在博洛尼亚 (which seems to translate to “Sago Dessert in Bologna”), the prancing horse brand is actively benchmarking the Chinese hypercar for its own upcoming EV.

The SU7 Ultra was definitely coming from inside Ferrari’s facility. After verification, we learned this specific vehicle was officially purchased by Ferrari for testing, and the development of their next-generation electric platform.

西米露在博洛尼亚

Yet another Chinese auto blogger, 苏黎世贝勒爷, claims that Ferrari representatives visited Xiaomi headquarters last year, allegedly to discuss the joint development of next-generation high-performance EV motors.

The Xiaomi SU7 Ultra made its debut last year, promising 1,548 hp, sub 2.0-second 0-60 mph times, and a top speed well over 200 mph – all at a price lower than a Tesla Model S Plaid or Porsche Taycan Turbo GT. The car sold out almost immediately after it was unveiled, racking up some 50,000 orders almost overnight.

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The new electric benchmark


Xiaomi SU7 Ultra at Fiorano; via Weibo user Piniluoshan.

In the automotive world, “benchmarking” is a process in which car companies systematically tear down each others’ competitive products to compare everything from sound insulation, vehicle ride and handling, component materials, and even manufacturing methods against their own or against other industry leaders. The goal is to evaluate performance, cost, quality, and other key metrics, effectively figuring out “where they stand” in the market.

If Ferrari really did buy an SU7 to benchmark it against their own upcoming electric supercar, it’s more than just a curiosity – it could mean that the highest tiers of automotive innovation have shifted from West to East. Maybe forever.

Featured image via Xiaomi; sources throughout the post.


If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them. 

Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.

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Chevy teases new Bolt w/NACS, front fascia redesign, rear brake lights

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Chevy teases new Bolt w/NACS, front fascia redesign, rear brake lights

We’re finally getting our first teases of the upgraded 2027 Chevy Bolt, built on GM’s battery/motor platform formerly known as Ultium. So far, so good for the vehicle, which will be revealed later this Fall.

Chevy took to social media today to tease the 2027 Chevy Bolt, saying, “You asked, we listened. The #ChevyBolt is back and better than ever. More this fall. 👀”

Chevy ended the original Bolt program with the 2023 model, which was loved by a loyal group of customers (including myself). Some of the major gripes, including charging speed and rear brake lights, already look to be addressed. Also, a new more aggressive fascia is debuting.

Electrek’s take

GM has done an incredible job keeping the 2027 Bolt under wraps. It will be the first GM vehicle with a native NACS port after the Cadillac Optiq-V, which we spied in Seattle last week.

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Hopefully, the new Bolt will have improved charging speeds over and above the 54kW that previous Bolts adhered to. One possible downgrade is that the old Bolt’s amazing wireless CarPlay/Android Auto system will likely be replaced by GM’s move to Android’s built-in experience. For a few years, the Chevy Bolt was the most affordable long-range EV, and it won our 2022 Electrek car of the year for its versatility and price.

I would, of course, like to see the new Bolt as a hot hatchback, but GM CEO Mary Barra has hinted that it will likely take more of the EUV’s SUV form factor. Things like AWD options, SuperCruise, pricing, power and range are yet to be revealed, but stay tuned to Electrek for the latest on Bolt developments.

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Tesla tops another ADAS test, Hyundai tops range tests, and Texas gets BESS

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Tesla tops another ADAS test, Hyundai tops range tests, and Texas gets BESS

On today’s test-acular episode of Quick Charge, it’s a new day and a new Chinese ADAS test for Tesla to conquer – but this one’s got a LOT more pedestrian carnage to parse through! We’ve also got some great e-bike deals from Retrospec and a bladder-busting Hyundai.

Today’s episode is brought to you by Retrospec – the makers of sleek, powerful e-bikes and outdoor gear built for everyday adventure! To that end, we’ve got a pair of Retrospec e-bike reviews followed up by the updated Hyundai IONIQ 6 with nearly 350 miles of range from its updated long-range battery. With that, Hyundai now has the longest range Korean EV on the market, while Texas is adding megawatts of battery energy storage to beef up its troubled grid, and it’s doing so faster and cheaper than ever before.

PlusQuick Charge listeners can get an extra 10% off the price of their next awesome e-bike by using code ELECTREK10 at retrospec.com!

Prefer listening to your podcasts? Audio-only versions of Quick Charge are now available on Apple PodcastsSpotifyTuneIn, and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

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New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (most weeks, anyway). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news.

Got news? Let us know!
Drop us a line at tips@electrek.co. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show.


If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them. 

Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

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