Daily EV news · US · 18 September 2026
EV Charging
Pennsylvania and North Carolina award $46.4 million in NEVI grants to expand public EV charging networks
Pennsylvania's Department of Transportation issued $32 million for EV charger construction in Eastern Pennsylvania on 17 September, part of the federal NEVI programme's Community Charging phase. The state is directing over $100 million in total federal funding through Community Charging rounds, adding to $58 million already invested in Alternative Fuel Corridors programmes; PennDOT has supported nearly 50 stations with NEVI funds, with 41 more in planning or construction. North Carolina's DOT awarded $14.4 million to eight businesses for 14 charging locations, supplementing five NEVI funded stations already built in 2024.
Why it matters
The awards signal sustained state level deployment of federal NEVI capital, creating near term construction and operations opportunities across multiple regions. Procurement teams can track Pennsylvania's phased rollout model and North Carolina's multi site awards to anticipate tender pipelines and partnership structures in other states drawing down NEVI allocations.
Red E Charge rolls out Plug and Charge across US network of 1,000 sites
Detroit operator Red E Charge has activated Plug and Charge at many of its dispensers, letting drivers pay automatically after a one time app setup. The network now spans over 1,000 locations and roughly 4,600 ports in 46 states, including 2,159 fast charge ports at 579 stations and almost 2,500 Level 2 ports at 600 sites, according to the Department of Energy. Red E Charge was one of the fastest growing DC fast charging networks in the second quarter, ahead of Electrify America, EVgo and Ionna.
Why it matters
Plug and Charge adoption reduces friction for fleet and public charging procurement by cutting transaction time and improving utilisation rates. Red E Charge's rapid expansion and feature parity with larger networks signals a maturing competitive landscape for CPOs evaluating hardware and software partners.
Policy & Market
US EV adoption stalls despite improved charging infrastructure and vehicle choice
A road test of the 2026 Chevrolet Equinox EV on a 230 mile San Francisco to Reno route highlights how charging infrastructure and vehicle range have improved since 2020, yet US electric vehicle adoption has plateaued even as global EV uptake accelerates. The article notes dozens of full electric models now available across all segments, with the Nissan Leaf recognised as the first mass market production EV in 2009.
Why it matters
The contrast between improved charging reliability and stalled adoption signals potential demand side barriers that may affect future infrastructure investment decisions and site utilisation forecasts for charge point operators in the US market.