Electrify America, one of the U.S.' largest EV fast-charging networks, this month opened its first station in North Dakota.
It's an important step to expand the network nationwide along major routes coast-to-coast. As we can see on the map, there are still big gaps in the northern part of the country, where the EV infrastructure is the weakest.
Electrify America currently has more than 840 stations with more than 3,700 individual fast chargers in 47 states.
The latest station in North Dakota is located in The Shoppes at Jamestown, 2617 8th Ave along Interstate 94, and features six Electrify America's next-generation chargers with an output of up to 350 kilowatts. Of course, as of today, the chargers are equipped with the CCS1 charging plug, but in the future, there will also be a NACS option at Electrify America.
Brandy Mathie, director of site acquisition and portfolio management at Electrify America said: "With our entrance into North Dakota, EV drivers are now able to enjoy hyper-fast charging speeds in 47 states. This is a significant milestone in making EV ownership accessible to all communities."
According to the company, in addition to the station in Jamestown, another one is coming soon to Grand Forks near Interstate 29. Two more sites will be launched in North Dakota next year for a total of four. A similar rollout is expected in the other northern states, supporting long-distance travel for electric vehicles.
It's worth noting that a weaker charging infrastructure is usually a direct consequence of a lower number of electric vehicles in the area. We saw this in a report highlighted by the Department of Energy (DOE)’s Vehicle Technologies Office earlier this year. North Dakota had just 1.3 plug-in electric car registrations per thousand people in 2022 – one of the lowest levels in the country and far behind the average of 8.66 in the U.S.
It's challenging to invest in new charging stations in areas with low EV uptake, but hopefully, the EV adoption will gradually improve.
