More Than 50 Locations Across Wisconsin to Host New Federally Funded High-Speed Electric Vehicle Stations

Tuesday, May 28th, 2024 -- 10:01 AM

(Joe Schulz, Wisconsin Public Radio) More than 50 locations across Wisconsin will host new federally funded high-speed electric vehicle stations.

According to Joe Schulz with Wisconsin Public Radio, Gov. Tony Evers announced Thursday the state Department of Transportation awarded $23.3 million out of more than $78 million in federal funding to support 53 fast charging projects.

The number of charging stations at each site will vary. Construction could begin this summer, with the goal of having most projects completed and operational in 2025.

The recipients in the first round of funding, selected from more than 260 applicants, include 24 Kwik Trip stores, Oneida Casino, Potawatomi Fire Side Market, several other gas station chains, hotels, box stores, restaurants and other businesses.

The sites are located along the state’s Alternative Fuel Corridor, a linkage of interstate highways, U.S. highways and a state highway that connects the eastern and western parts of Wisconsin. The locations selected in this first round of funding vary from suburban communities, like Wauwatosa, to rural communities like Rhinelander.

“We really wanted a Wisconsinite who lives in the southern third of Wisconsin or someone who lives up north to be able to travel the entire state with an electric vehicle and not have concerns about where they’re going to be able to travel,” said Kaleb Vander Wiele, transportation electrification project manager for the state DOT.

Officials said the chargers will support the more than 23,000 electric vehicles registered in the state, along with people visiting from out of state. Ben Behlke, clean technology manager for RENEW Wisconsin, said the sites selected in this first round of funding will go a long way toward addressing the “range anxiety” many EV owners have.

He said he was happy DOT’s site selection was “expansive across the state.” He said many EV owners plan their trips around where they’ll be able to charge their vehicle, and the time it’ll take to charge.

He said most of the publicly available chargers in Wisconsin are relatively slow and these 53 sites with fast charging will help address that.

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.