COLUMBUS, Ohio — On Thursday, Ohio became the first state in the U.S. to announce charging stations as part of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Program.
Gov. Mike DeWine revealed the 27 locations of new electric vehicle (EV) charging stations that will be installed along Ohio interstates. DriveOhio, a division of the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), will oversee the implementation of the new charging stations, which are expected to be in operation next year.
The state is awarding over $18 million in NEVI funds for the stations, which will be situated along seven of Ohio's interstate corridors, including I-70, I-71, I-74, I-75, I-76, I-77, and I-90. The NEVI funds will be matched with nearly $6 million from the private entities selected to install and operate the new EV fast charging stations, including Pilot Travel Centers, TH Midwest, Francis Energy, Meijer Stores, EVgo Services, ChargeNet Stations, and Equilon/Shell.
The new charging stations will be located every 50 miles and will be situated no more than 1 mile off the interstate. Each site will include at least four charger ports with 150 kilowatts for each port and will be accessible 24/7 with easy access to food, drink, and restrooms.
Several of the charging stations will be located in Northeast Ohio:
- I-71 at SR 82 (Royalton Road) in Strongsville - Equilon/Shell Gas
- I-71 at SR 83 (Avon Lake Road) in Lodi - Pilot Travel Center
- I-77 at Rockside Road in Independence - EVgo Services/Chase Bank
- I-77 at Everhard Road in Canton - NWEVgo Services/Belden Park Strip Mall
- I-77 at Faircrest Street in Canton - Pilot Travel Center
- I-76 at Tallmadge Rd. in Kent - Meijer
- I-90 at SR 45 (Center Road) in Austinburg - Pilot Travel Center
“This is an exciting time for Ohio as we continue to lead the charge in electric mobility,” said DeWine. “As more Ohioans purchase EVs, this statewide network of chargers will ensure that our transportation infrastructure is prepared to accommodate these drivers, as well as visitors who travel to Ohio to see all that our great state has to offer.”
The state notes that there are roughly 53,000 registered electric vehicles in Ohio, with that number expected to significantly increase in coming years.
This fall, ODOT is planning to issue its second request for proposals to install an additional 16 charging stations along Ohio’s major U.S. and state routes. Once charging stations are installed on Ohio's interstates, state routes, and U.S. routes, the remaining funding will be used to install charging stations in other areas.
In total, Ohio will receive $140 million in NEVI funds over the next five years to support the installation of EV charging stations across the state.
You can see the complete list of interstate EV charging stations in Ohio below.
