While the price point continues to trend toward family-friendly middle-class America, one stress point remains for electric vehicles and their imminent mass production:
Consistent charging and reliable interstate travel.
During his Thursday “Team Kentucky” update, however, Governor Andy Beshear announced a first round of federal awards for the design, build, operation and maintenance of a statewide network of EV stations.
Made possible through nearly $11 million provided by the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program, private matching funds and a state-issued RFP, six developers have been given the go-ahead for 16 projects across the Commonwealth along the state’s 11 Alternative Fuel Corridor groups — roads approved under the Federal Highway Administration.
For the News Edge listening area, this includes the following locations:
— The Ideal Market at 162 Hopkinsville Road in Nortonville;
— The Starbucks at 110 Clinic Drive in Hopkinsville;
— The Ideal Market at 800 E Center Street in Madisonville;
— And the Ideal Market at 5715 Charleston Road in Dawson Springs.
Each station will come from Francis Energy Charging at a subsidized price north of $855,000.
Developers have three months to meet critical criteria before construction and installation can begin.
These “Direct Current Fast Charging” stations (DCFCs) must be open to the public at all times and be able to power any non-proprietary EV model currently on the automotive market. In the selection process, sites had to be no more than 1 mile from a designated corridor, and no more than 50 miles from the next EV-charging opportunity.
Beshear noted other phases are coming, with another RFP soon to be filed.
The plan is for 37 total DCFC stations in Kentucky to be constructed through NEVI.
