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Kentucky breaks ground on federally funded EV charging station (NEVI program)

March 03, 2024

Kentucky has begun construction on its first electric vehicle charging station funded by the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Program.

The charging station, located at the Richmond Circle K, is the first of 40 planned stations across the state, and Kentucky is using $70 million in federal funds from the NEVI program to install fast-charging stations every 50 miles on interstates and major highways, aiming to have all stations up and running by 2025.

Since Governor Beshear took office, Kentucky has seen $11.6 billion in planned EV investments, resulting in over 10,000 new jobs. Electric vehicles currently account for around 10% of vehicle sales in the U.S., leading to an increased need for charging infrastructure. The U.S. currently has about 170,000 chargers, with a goal set by President Joe Biden to reach 500,000 by the end of the decade.

Seven developers have been selected to install chargers at the initial 24 sites, and the transportation cabinet is taking requests for proposals to install the additional 16 in the second phase.