California Energy Commission (CEC) and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) awarded more than $32 million in federal funds to install, operate and maintain 458 direct-current fast chargers (DCFC) along interstates and highways across the state.

The funds come from the $5-billion National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program, which is part of the $1.2-trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. California expects to receive a total of $384 million for the program over the next several years.

Including projects expected to be approved before the end of the year, CEC proposed awards total $37.7 million, which will leverage an additional $53.2 million in private matching funds—nearly three times the minimum required by the NEVI program.

These awards will result in the deployment of more than 500 new charging ports across 70 sites, representing an 85% increase over the number of charging ports originally expected from the state's first NEVI solicitation, and nearly double the stations required by federal standards.

Nine projects were awarded $32,722,295 in the first round of NEVI formula funding at the CEC’s 11 September business meeting. Nearly $5 million more is expected to be approved before the end of the year.

The projects approved include:

• Electrify America, LLC. – $6,488,372 for 62 fast chargers along sections of Interstate 15 between Hesperia and Nevada, Interstate 40 between Barstow and Needles, and State Route 58 between Buttonwillow and Barstow.

• Skychargers, LLC. – $4,008,069 for 68 fast chargers along Interstate 5 from Sacramento to Kettleman City.

• Skychargers, LLC. – $2,965,854 for 76 fast chargers along Interstate 5 from Kettleman City to Santa Clarita.

• Sustainable Energies CA LLC. $1,860,000 for 20 fast chargers along sections of Interstates 8, 15, and 805 in San Diego and Riverside counties.

• Sustainable Energies CA LLC. – $1,200,000 for 16 fast chargers in Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties.

• Sustainable Energies CA LLC. –$1,800,000 for 24 fast chargers along sections of Interstates 110, 710, 605, and 105 in Los Angeles County.

• Zero6 EV Charging CA I LLC. – $3,675,000 for 49 fast chargers along Interstate 5 from Sacramento to Kettleman City.

• Zero6 EV Charging CA I LLC. – $6,075,000 for 81 fast chargers along Interstate 5 from Kettleman City to Santa Clarita.

• Zero6 EV Charging CA I LLC. – $4,650,000 for 62 fast chargers from along the sections of Interstate 15 between Hesperia and Nevada, Interstate 40 between Barstow and Needles, and State Route 58 between Buttonwillow and Barstow.

NEVI funds must be used initially on federally designated Alternative Fuel Corridors. Each NEVI-funded DCFC station will have a minimum of four 150 kilowatt (kW) Combined Charging System connectors and a minimum total station power of 600 kW.

Stations will be located no more than 50 miles apart along freeways and highways and no more than one mile from a freeway exit or highway roadway. States are required to emphasize equity, with at least 40% of NEVI benefits going to disadvantaged, low-income, rural and tribal communities.

Caltrans is the designated lead agency for NEVI and the CEC is their designated state energy partner administering the funds. Caltrans and the CEC partnered to create California’s Deployment Plan for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program, which details how California plans to allocate its $384-million share of federal NEVI funds to build out a network of modern, high-powered DCFCs along federally designated Alternative Fuel Corridors throughout California.