EV charging company EnviroSpark is installing National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program DC fast chargers at Waffle House in Lakeland, Tennessee.
Out of 167 applications, Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT), in cooperation with Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), threw support behind EnviroSpark‘s plan to install four DC fast chargers at the Waffle House at 9780 US Highway 64, northeast of Memphis. Nine other projects also received NEVI funding in Tennessee’s first round.
The NEVI Formula program requires EV charging stations to be available every 50 miles and within one travel mile of the Alternative Fuel Corridor. EV charging stations must include at least four ports with connectors capable of simultaneously charging four EVs at 150 kilowatts (kW) each, with a total station power capacity of 600 kW or more.
The charging stations must have 24-hour public accessibility and provide restrooms, food and beverage, and shelter.
Tennessee’s future oasis of DC fast charging and Waffle House comfort food is the only restaurant in the state’s first round of NEVI awards and one of just two spots not doubling as a gas station or convenience store.
The EnviroSpark team chose Waffle House because it’s 24/7, ticking one of the NEVI program’s boxes. The chargers they’re installing are made in South Carolina, and they exceed federal sourcing and kWh requirements.
Construction at the Waffle House site is set to start this year, and EnviroSpark has plans to work with Waffle House on future NEVI projects.
Tennessee has $88 million in federal grant money for TDOT and TDEC to dole out over five years to expand its EV charging network.
Gabe Klein, executive director of the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, said:
Tennessee has shown true leadership in state agency coordination between TDOT and TDEC, sharing expertise and building a strong foundation for the state’s EV charging network.
The Joint Office is proud to provide technical support to ensure these 30 fast-charging locations provide a frictionless experience for users.
Read more: Kansas announces its first NEVI EV charging station locations
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