Natso, ChargePoint Team to Expand Charging Station Network
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Truck stop trade group Natso on Feb. 6 entered into a partnership with ChargePoint to expand its network of charging stations.
The National Highway Charging Collaborative was launched by the groups with the goal to extend electric vehicle charging stations nationwide.
Natso and ChargePoint plan to leverage $1 billion in capital to deploy chargers at more than 4,000 locations over the next decade.
ChargePoint is partnering with NATSO (National Association of Truck Stop Operators) in the U.S. to increase access to charging nationwide at more than 4,000 travel plazas and fuel stops by 2030. https://t.co/pUEf5TokTB
Photo credit: Maria Hedrick pic.twitter.com/vsB3ddczkC — ChargePoint (@ChargePointnet) February 6, 2020
“ChargePoint is proud to partner with Natso to significantly expand access to charging along America’s highways while also ensuring that the implementation of charging infrastructure in rural areas accelerates in the years to come,” ChargePoint CEO Pasquale Romano said.
Natso represents travel plazas and truck stops. ChargePoint already boasts the largest network of electric vehicle-charging stations.
“We are embarking on a major shift in transportation, with electrification poised to fundamentally transform mobility,” Romano said. “Collaborations like this are vital for the rapid expansion of charging around the country and will ensure that the United States remains at the forefront of the EV revolution.”
Natso CEO Lisa Mullings said that her association has advocated for incentives to profitably incorporate renewable fuels into fuel supply. She added that this collaborations will build on those successes.
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“The [memorandum of understanding] announced [Feb. 6] will help to establish public-private partnerships at off-highway fuel retailers across the nation, which will help to mitigate range anxiety and expand the interstate network of charging facilities under the current program,” Mullings said in a statement.
She added range anxiety continues to rank as one of the biggest concerns among consumers who are considering purchasing an electric vehicle. The collaboration’s intent is to overcome that by enabling long-distance electric travel along major routes and rural communities.
The parties also agreed to work to expand availability of charging infrastructure and connect existing Federal Highway Administration-designated FAST Act corridors. — Transport Topics
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