28 more EV charging stations coming to Iowa’s interstates

The Iowa Department of Transportation has awarded about $16.2 million to add 28 fast-charging stations for electric vehicles along Iowa’s interstates, the first awards in the $51 million Iowa expects to receive in federal funds for the stations.

The 28 charging stations will go along Iowa’s “alternative fuel corridors,” or Interstates 80, 380, 29 and 35.

Fifteen of the stations will go along I-80, the east-west interstate that runs from Davenport to Nebraska, the longest stretch of interstate in Iowa.

One of the 28 grant recipients is in Cedar Rapids — the Kwik Trip convenience store/gas station off I-380 at 33rd Avenue SW.

Another station will be installed at the Kwik Trip in North Liberty. And another will be available in Iowa City off I-80, at The Highlander Hotel, at exit 246 (Dodge Street).

Every 50 miles

The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program will provide $5 billion nationally through 2026 to install new charging stations at least every 50 miles, and within 1 miles, of the nation’s interstates.

Each of the new direct-current, fast-charging stations will have a minimum of four charging ports, providing “continuous charging of at least 150 kilowatts per port concurrently,” the DOT said.

Debra Arp, Iowa DOT’s team leader for grant program administration, said 80 applications for the grants were scored based on criteria set by the funding program.

Criteria included location, sites with previous experience with similar projects, a cost proposal and a proposed layout and design for the site, she said.

“The evaluation also optimized the spacing of awards along the Alternative Fuel Corridors to meet the federal program goal of deploying charging infrastructure at least every 50 miles along the corridor and within 25 miles of a state border,” Arp said.

Additional requirements were that sites have a restroom within 500 feet of the charging site, be accessible seven days a week/24 hours a day, and meet requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Arp said the federal program allows reimbursement for up to 80 percent of total project costs.

Not every proposed site applied for the full reimbursement of 80 percent.

“Eleven of the applications requested the full 80 percent, and the rest were a range from as low as 55 percent,” Arp said.

All of the grants went to “private business entities, and the awardees will be responsible for all costs beyond the award amount,” Arp said.

The majority of the recipients in Iowa were gas stations. Other sites include hotels, restaurants and shopping centers.

More funds coming

The awards are part of a national push to increase electric vehicle charging station accessibility throughout the country.

Funding comes from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure, or NEVI, program. Overall, Iowa is expected to receive more than $51 million in federal NEVI funds for distribution.

Iowa’s initial $16.2 million in NEVI funding is being matched with more than $5.6 million in private funding, for a total around $21.8 million, the DOT said.

The projects range in cost from $569,090 in Davenport to $1.2 million in Sioux City.

Existing stations

Iowa at this time has 406 public electric charging stations, with 930 charging ports, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. There are three types of charging stations:

It's more expensive — though faster — to use the Level 3 fast-charging stations than a home charging station, though costs vary widely across the U.S.

Olivia Cohen covers energy and environment for The Gazette and is a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues.

Comments: (319) 398-8370; olivia.cohen@thegazette.com