Oklahoma Transportation Commission approves federal funding for Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program

OKLAHOMA CITY (KAMR/KCIT) — The Oklahoma Department of Transportation said it is moving forward with the first phase of expanding state electric vehicle infrastructure following approval of more than $8 million in federal funds.

ODOT said the Oklahoma Transportation Commission approved more than $8 million in federal funds to be awarded to three private partners to build 13 charging stations along state interstates.

ODOT said the contracts were awarded to Love’s Travel Stops, Francis Energy LLC, and Tesla Inc., which will provide a combined $7 million in private funding match to build the stations.

According to ODOT, “the stations will be within 50 miles of preexisting or planned sites in designated corridors, within 1-mile driving distance of an exit, equipped with at least four charging ports capable of simultaneous 150kW or higher charging, accessible 24/7/365, and have broadband or cellular capability. Once installed, these 13 stations will complete the EV charging corridors on I-35, I-40 and I-44 in Oklahoma.”

“Range anxiety is a real concern for electric vehicle owners here in Oklahoma and nationwide,” said Jared Schwennesen, ODOT Multi-Modal Division Engineer. “We believe this will be a major step toward cutting down on that anxiety and providing a reliable charging network across Oklahoma.”

More information about the NEVI plan can be found on the Oklahoma state website.