Andy Beshear, the Governor of Kentucky, and Shailen Bhatt, the Federal Highway Administrator, recently celebrated the opening of the first NEVI EV charging site in the Southeastern United States at Circle K in Richmond, Kentucky.
The site will be built with ABB E-mobility Terra 184 chargers, which are Build America, Buy America (BABA) compliant, meet the NEVI technical minimum standards, and are “NACS-ready.” Each charger can provide up to 180 kW of power to Circle K’s customers, allowing them to charge quickly and get back on the road.
As one of the first states to deploy EV fast chargers under the NEVI program, Kentucky and the Federal Highway Administration showed its leadership and commitment to the economic benefits of electric transportation in all parts of the country.
ABB E-mobility shares this commitment, providing NEVI-compliant T184 fast chargers to partners awarded NEVI funding in over a half dozen states across the United States.
“Our customers and drivers expect that charging infrastructure works and we provide reliable and convenient charge-and-go technology,” said Chris Nordh, head of ABB E-mobility in North America. “ABB E-mobility is committed to helping partners like Circle K achieve their EV charging goals by delivering reliable, seamless, efficient and flexible charging solutions.”
Convenient and reliable charging
With EV adoption figures continuing to break records in the US, the NEVI program and convenience store operators are key enablers of the e-mobility economy. In 2023 alone, annual EV sales figure reached 1.2 million units, representing a 50% increase year over year.
This new Circle K fast charging site in Richmond adds to Circle K’s increasing global EV charging footprint, which the company expects to reach 200 sites in North America this year, and enables the continued expansion of charging infrastructure that will meet the growing demands of EV drivers.
“We are pleased to partner once again with ABB E-mobility, honoured to be a part of this milestone development supported by the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the NEVI program, and look forward to being a preferred destination for EV drivers along the I-75 corridor,” said Aaron Smorodin, head of business development for Circle K.
Solutions that work
ABB E-mobility has been designing and manufacturing EV chargers for nearly 15 years, and electrification equipment for over a century. Terra 184 chargers manufactured at its South Carolina-based operations meet the “Phase II” requirements for the BABA Act of 55% US cost of components — which is applicable to multiple Federal Programs, including NEVI.
These chargers are built to last with preventative maintenance and service plans integrated into ABB E-mobility’s NEVI offering, ensuring delivery of 97+% uptime.
The T184 is designed with key standards and certifications in mind, including the NEVI minimum standards. Features like ENERGY STAR certification, NTEP and CTEP certified metering, ADA readiness, ISO 15118 implementations, OCPP conformance, and J3400 readiness are not afterthoughts.
ABB E-mobility’s preparation and dedication to meeting these requirements ensures that charging owners and operators are ready to meet regulatory needs. Later this year, the company plans to add high power J3400 connectors to chargers in Richmond, enabling Tesla vehicles and future NACS vehicles to charge without the need for adapters.
Filed Under: Charging, Technology News