COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Ohio is the first state in the U.S. to take a major step in an infrastructure program encouraging electric vehicles.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced on Friday that Ohio’s first electric vehicle (EV) charger, funded by the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program, is now online. This makes Ohio the first state in the nation to activate a NEVI charger.
NEVI, from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration, is a program intended to provide funding to states to strategically deploy EV charging stations and to establish an interconnected network to facilitate data collection, access, and reliability.
The newly-active NEVI charging station is located at the Pilot Travel Center along Interstate 70 at U.S. Route 42 in Madison County. The station comes with fast chargers installed by EVGo, capable of providing up to 350 kW when charging a single vehicle.
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(Courtesy Photo/Ohio Department of Transportation) -
(Courtesy Photo/Ohio Department of Transportation) -
(Courtesy Photo/Ohio Department of Transportation)
In his announcement, DeWine expressed his excitement for what this project means for the future of transportation in Ohio.
“Any industry that focuses on innovations for the future is a priority for Ohio,” DeWine said in a press release. “Electric vehicles are the future of transportation, and we want drivers in Ohio to have access to this technology today.”
This charger activation marks the latest in a series of EV advancements made by Ohio in recent years.
“America’s first new charging station puts us one step closer to making travel easier for EV drivers,” Ohio Department of Transportation Director Jack Marchbanks added in the release.
Soon, construction is expected to begin on 24 fast charging stations funded by NEVI across the state.