Daily EV news · US · 21 May 2026
EV Charging
Hawaii opens third NEVI fast charging site at Kapalua Airport under EVaaS model
Hawaii Department of Transportation has commissioned a new NEVI funded charging station at Kapalua Airport on Maui, featuring four 150 kW DC fast chargers with NACS and CCS1 connectors. The site is the state's third NEVI location, part of a more than 17 million dollar federal allocation over five years, with 32 NEVI compliant and Buy America compliant Tritium chargers received as of April 2024. Sustainability Partners, a public benefit company, is funding, deploying and maintaining all of Hawaii's NEVI stations through an Electric Vehicles as a Service model.
Why it matters
The EVaaS procurement model offers public agencies a route to deploy NEVI infrastructure without upfront capital costs while securing long term maintenance and operations, addressing a key challenge in keeping chargers reliable. Hawaii's approach with Sustainability Partners demonstrates an alternative delivery structure for states managing federal NEVI allocations and Buy America compliance requirements.
Kempower and Blink Charging deploy 14 fast charging sites across the United States
Kempower and Blink Charging have rolled out 14 fast charging sites in the United States, according to The EV Report. The deployment marks a collaboration between the Finnish hardware supplier and the US charging network operator to expand DC fast charging infrastructure. No further details on site locations, charger counts or power ratings were provided in the available excerpt.
Why it matters
The rollout demonstrates continued partnership activity between European hardware vendors and US network operators to scale fast charging availability. For procurement teams, the Kempower and Blink pairing offers a reference case for multi site deployments, though technical specifications remain unclear from this report.
SK Signet Signs EV Charging Partnership With US Firm SynergEV
SK Signet, the South Korean EV charging equipment manufacturer, has entered a partnership with US based firm SynergEV, according to CEO Insights Asia. The agreement aims to expand charging infrastructure deployment across the United States, though specific site numbers and investment figures were not disclosed in the announcement.
Why it matters
The partnership signals SK Signet's continued push into the competitive US charging market and may create new procurement opportunities as SynergEV's network expands. CPOs and site hosts should monitor whether this collaboration leads to standardised hardware offerings or bundled deployment packages in their regions.
Grid & Energy
Texture raises 12.5 million dollars Series A to help utilities manage EV charging grid stress
Grid software startup Texture has closed a 12.5 million dollar Series A round, co-led by VoLo Earth Ventures and Equal Ventures, bringing total funding to roughly 23 million dollars. The platform aggregates real-time data from EV chargers, batteries, solar systems, SCADA, advanced metering infrastructure and smart thermostats into a single view for utility operators facing demand spikes from electric vehicles, data centres and renewables. Texture is initially targeting utility cooperatives, which serve around 42 million customers in the United States.
Why it matters
As EV charging rollouts accelerate, grid capacity constraints are becoming a critical bottleneck for charge point operators and site hosts. Software that helps utilities monitor and respond to charging demand in real time could speed up connection approvals and reduce costly grid upgrade requirements for new installations.
Policy & Market
New York City and Los Angeles County form joint EV procurement bloc to accelerate fleet electrification
New York City and Los Angeles County announced a bicoastal partnership to leverage combined purchasing power for electric vehicle procurement. LA County aims for 100 per cent fleet electrification by 2045, requiring replacement of all 20,000 vehicles, though only 600 EVs and 350 plug-ins are currently deployed. New York operates roughly 2,500 charging ports, the state's largest network, but officials acknowledge significantly more infrastructure will be needed to support wider fleet electrification.
Why it matters
The alliance creates a major municipal procurement bloc that could influence manufacturers to develop specialised EVs including passenger vans, fire pumpers and snowplows not currently available. The partnership signals sustained local government EV demand despite federal policy uncertainty and automotive industry delays, potentially shaping future tender specifications and charging infrastructure requirements.