NATSO & ChargePoint Form Partnership to Build Nationwide EV Charging Network

ALEXANDRIA, Va. and CAMPBELL, Calif. — NATSO, which represents America's travel plazas and truckstops, is teaming up with ChargePoint, the world’s largest electric vehicle (EV) charging network, to create a National Highway Charging Collaborate to extend EV charging to every part of the country.

Over the next decade, the Collaborative will leverage $1 billion in capital to deploy charging at 4,000-plus travel plazas and fuel stops that serve highway travelers and rural communities.

This expansion will link America's drivers to a vast and growing charging network in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., significantly increasing access to charging as EV adoption accelerates, according to the organizations. This will enable long distance electric travel along major routes as well as provide vital access to charging in rural communities.

The partnership was formalized as part of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by Pasquale Romano, president and CEO of ChargePoint, and Lisa Mullings, president and CEO of NATSO. 

"NATSO for the last 20 years has successfully advocated for incentives to enable our members to profitably incorporate renewable fuels into their fuel supply. We look forward to building on these successes so that the travel center industry can continue to play a leading role in bringing alternative fuels to its customers. Our collaboration with ChargePoint will undoubtedly help us do that," said Mullings.

"Range anxiety continues to rank as one of the biggest concerns among consumers who are considering purchasing an electric vehicle. NATSO has been working with the Federal Highway Administration since 2016 to expand the use of alternative fuels and infrastructure under its Alternative Fuels Corridor Program," she added.

Mullings added that the announced plan will help to establish public-private partnerships at off-highway fuel retailers across the country, which will help to mitigate range anxiety and expand the interstate network of charging facilities under the current program.

"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," said Romano. "We are embarking on a major shift in transportation, with electrification poised to fundamentally transform mobility. 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."

By 2040, some analysts expect that 40 percent of new vehicles will be electric, and at least 100 new EV models are expected to enter American roadways in the next five years, according to the announcement.

By 2020, the partnership organizations have agreed that the National Highway Charging Collaborative will:

• Deploy charging infrastructure at 4,000 travel centers and fuel stops, leveraging $1 billion in capital;
• Provide charging infrastructure at fueling locations across the United States with a focus on connecting rural communities;
• Expand availability of charging infrastructure and connect existing Federal Highway Administration-designated FAST Act corridors; and
• Work together to achieve policy outcomes to support each of these objectives.

The organizations will also identify public and private funding sources that may be available to support the expansion of EV charging at strategically determined locations.

Founded in 1960, NATSO represents the industry on legislative and regulatory matters; serves as the official source of information on the diverse travel plaza and truckstop industry; provides education to its members; conducts an annual convention and trade show; and supports efforts to generally improve the business climate in which its members operate.