ChargePoint, the world’s largest electric-vehicle charging network, and the National Association of Truck Stop Operators (NATSO), have joined forces to provide electric-vehicle charging stations across the United States.
The National Highway Charging Collaborative will invest $1 billion over the next decade to build more than 4,000 travel plazas and fuel stops that serve highway travelers with a focus on rural communities.
Locations will be strategically decided after the partners identify public and private funding sources that may be available to support the expansion of EV charging. Volkswagen Settlement Appendix D Funds and other resources available to NATSO members are among the funding sources.
“Range anxiety continues to rank as one of the biggest concerns among consumers who are considering purchasing an electric vehicle,” Lisa Mullings, NATSO president and CEO, said. NATSO has been working with the Federal Highway Administration since 2016 to expand the use of alternative fuels and infrastructure under its Alternative Fuels Corridor Program.”
The partnership also includes working together to achieve policy outcomes, and expanding the availability of charging infrastructure and connecting existing Federal Highway Administration-designated Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act corridors.
Some analysts forecast 40 percent of new vehicle sales will be electric by 2040.