Interstate 84 and US 20, 26, 97, 101

Oregon Awards $16.7 Million to Seven Companies for 24 EV Fast-Charging Stations, 126 Ports

EVs Infrastructure & Grid Connection News
Marin Holt
April 24, 2026
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5 minutes read

Federal grant: $16.7 million
Fast-charging stations: 24 stations
Charging ports: 126 ports
Recipients: Seven charging companies
Corridors: Interstate 84 and US 20, 26, 97, 101

The Oregon Department of Transportation awarded $16.7 million in federal grants on April 24, 2026 to seven charging companies to build 24 public electric-vehicle fast-charging stations along Interstate 84 and US Highways 20, 26, 97, and 101. The second-round awards fund roughly 126 DC fast-charging ports statewide, the state’s largest single push to close highway charging gaps.

The grants flow through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program, the 2021 federal formula that directs $5 billion to states for highway charging. Selected recipients include Love’s, Tesla, and ChargeSmart EV, alongside EVCS, Universal EV, Lightning Grown, and utility PacifiCorp. Each company owns and maintains its stations and must provide at least 20 percent in matching funds.

Station Requirements

Under program rules, each site carries at least four 150 kW CCS charging ports, and several locations add NACS connectors to serve Tesla and newer models. Stations sit near restrooms, food, and shopping along major travel routes. ODOT expects the sites to open within 12 to 18 months.

Why It Matters

Oregon has drawn down its $52 million NEVI allocation slowly, and the federal program installed fewer than 1,000 ports nationwide by mid-2026 despite funding available since 2021. This round more than doubles Oregon’s committed highway ports and targets rural corridors where charging gaps still strand long-distance drivers. Requiring 150 kW minimums and dual CCS and NACS connectors also pushes the state’s highway network toward the faster, more universal charging that freight and passenger fleets both need.

Critical Perspective

Oregon awarded $16.7 million for 24 fast-charging stations and 126 ports, yet this is only the program’s second round and the state has still committed just a fraction of its $52 million NEVI allocation. The federal effort has trailed privately funded networks badly, since Electrify America, created out of Volkswagen’s diesel settlement, deployed thousands of fast-charging ports years before NEVI energized its first station. Nationally the $5 billion NEVI program had installed fewer than 1,000 ports by mid-2026, roughly three years after the 2021 law created it, a pace that makes any near-term opening promise look optimistic. Given that record, will these 126 Oregon ports really open within 12 to 18 months, or join the long list of NEVI grants announced far faster than chargers ever get built?