Daily EV news · US · 4 March 2026
EV Charging
EVII Mission Hills closes $2.12m retail crowdfunding round for 19-stall Tesla charging hub in Los Angeles
EVII Mission Hills has closed a $2.12m equity crowdfunding round to finance a Tesla charging hub at 15555 San Fernando Mission Blvd in Mission Hills, California, where Interstate 405, Interstate 5, and State Route 118 converge and roughly 577,000 vehicles pass daily. The raise, hosted on Issuance and promoted via Meta and TikTok, attracted 4,662 retail investors from the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Guam, with an average investment of $454 and a minimum of $100.44. The site will feature 19 Tesla V4 Superchargers with NACS and CCS connectors, including two ADA-accessible stalls, with permits targeted for April 2025, construction starting in May, and launch expected in Q1 2027.
Why it matters
The deal demonstrates a novel retail crowdfunding model for charging infrastructure, bypassing institutional capital entirely and offering direct equity stakes to thousands of small investors. For CPOs and developers, it signals an alternative financing route for high-traffic sites, while the V4 hardware and dual-connector setup reflect the evolving North American charging standard landscape.
Wisconsin expands EV charging network to meet rising demand
Wisconsin is growing its electric vehicle charging infrastructure in response to increasing demand, according to Spectrum News. The report highlights efforts to expand the network across the state, though specific deployment figures or timelines were not disclosed in the available excerpt. The development reflects broader US state level initiatives to support EV adoption through charging infrastructure buildout.
Why it matters
State level infrastructure expansion signals procurement opportunities for charging hardware suppliers and installation contractors. Growing demand driven rollouts may accelerate RFP timelines and create competitive advantages for CPOs with established regional presence in Wisconsin.
Electric Vehicles
Naples Central School District in New York calls electric buses impractical amid operational challenges
Naples Central School District in New York has raised concerns about the practicality of electric school buses, citing operational challenges. The district addressed issues encountered with electric bus deployment, though specific figures on fleet size or performance were not disclosed in the RochesterFirst report. The statement reflects growing scrutiny of electric bus rollouts in US school districts as they navigate infrastructure and reliability requirements.
Why it matters
School districts represent a significant segment of the electric bus market, and operational feedback from early adopters like Naples CSD informs procurement decisions and infrastructure planning for CPOs and fleet operators evaluating charging solutions for educational transport.
Montgomery County Public Schools requests 150 diesel buses despite 2025 electric-only purchase policy
Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland has drawn criticism for requesting nearly 150 new diesel buses, contradicting a policy that all new school bus purchases from 2025 should be electric. The move follows operational problems with its electric bus supplier, Highland Electric Fleets, including late deliveries, non-working buses and charging issues that the county inspector general labelled wasteful. County Executive Marc Elrich called the diesel request wrong and suggested legislation to bar county funds from diesel bus purchases.
Why it matters
The reversal highlights how supplier performance and charging reliability can derail public fleet electrification mandates, potentially prompting stricter procurement rules. It also signals reputational and contractual risk for charging and fleet operators unable to meet delivery and uptime commitments on large school contracts.
Maryland electric school bus rollout criticised in Washington Post opinion piece
The Washington Post has published an opinion article describing Maryland's electric school bus programme as a debacle. The piece, categorised under policy and regulation, addresses implementation challenges in the United States. No specific figures or programme details are provided in the available excerpt.
Why it matters
Procurement setbacks in high profile public fleet electrification projects can influence policy design and vendor selection criteria in other US states. Operational lessons from school bus deployments often shape charging infrastructure requirements for depot based fleets.