COLUMBUS, Ohio (WANE) — On Wednesday, Ohio officials announced the state has broke ground on an EV charging station as part of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Program.
According to Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Transportation Director Jack Marchbanks, Ohio will be the first state in the U.S. to begin work on a charging station through the NEVI Program.
“As more Ohioans adopt electric vehicles and the mix of automobiles on the road changes, we must ensure that our infrastructure is ready,” Marchbanks said.
The EV charging station will be located along Interstate 70 at U.S. 42, which is just west of Columbus, Ohio.
According to state officials, the station will be equipped with fast chargers that can provide up to 350 kilowatts (kW) when charging a single vehicle and up to 175 kW when four vehicles are being charged at the same time, which is enough power to charge an EV up to 80% in 20 to 40 minutes, depending on the vehicle.
“Providing more fast chargers that are convenient and reliable ultimately improves customer service for Ohio drivers and bolsters equitable access to the latest transportation technology,” Marchbanks said.
According to state officials, the charging station will also provide 24-hour access to Wi-Fi and convenience items available for purchase.
Wednesday’s announcement is the latest in a string of EV developments in Ohio that have put the state at the forefront of EV infrastructure development, according to state officials,
“From securing investments by manufacturers to building key infrastructure, we are truly positioning Ohioans for the electric future,” Gov. DeWine said.
Construction on over two dozen additional fast charging stations in Ohio is expected to begin “soon,” and all projects in the first round of the NEVI Program are expected to be operational by the end of 2024.
The Ohio Department of Administrative Services will also install six EV charging stations separate from the NEVI Program at three state-owned office buildings, but it is not known when those charging stations will be operational.
