California opens 28 million dollar fund paying up to 100,000 dollars per DC fast charging port
By Eve
California has launched a 28 million dollar funding round that covers up to 100 percent of eligible costs for public DC fast charging infrastructure, with grants reaching 100,000 dollars per port. The highest payment tier applies only to ports rated above 275kW, despite charger manufacturers' data indicating that the number of plugs at a site drives utilisation more effectively than individual port power ratings.
Why it matters
The programme represents significant public capital available to charge point operators and contractors, though the emphasis on high power ratings over plug density may shape project economics and site design decisions for applicants seeking maximum grant support.
Source
- Original title
- “California is paying up to $100,000 a port for public EV fast charging”
- Published
- 9 October 2026
- Updated
- 12 October 2026
In this story
- Topic
- EV Charging
- Place
- United States
- Tag
- California
Related news
California opens $28 million fast charger scheme with up to $100,000 per port
California's Fast Charge California Project launched on 7 October, offering up to $100,000 per port for public DC fast chargers, with the total pot worth at least $28 million. Ports delivering 150 kW to under 275 kW qualify for up to $55,000, while those at 275 kW or above can claim the full $100,000, covering up to 100% of approved costs including hardware, installation, planning and engineering. Applicants must be businesses, nonprofits, public agencies or eligible tribes with shovel ready projects, meaning final utility service design or confirmation and permits already in place.
Why it matters
The scheme removes upfront capital barriers for site hosts and CPOs willing to deploy high power infrastructure, though the per port caps mean larger or more complex builds may still require co funding. Ready to build criteria and the focus on 150 kW plus ports signal California's push to accelerate corridor and destination charging with minimal procurement lag.
Electrify America operates 6,029 DC fast-charging ports across 1,191 US sites
Electrify America now runs 6,029 DC fast-charging ports at 1,191 locations in the United States, making it the second largest DC charging network after Tesla Supercharger, according to InsideEVs citing the US Department of Energy's Alternative Fuels Data Center. Over the past year, the network's port count grew by 16% and station count by around 10%, with 202 ports added in the second quarter alone, representing 6.7% of all US DC fast-charging ports. ChargePoint, the third largest operator, installed 333 ports in the same quarter and holds 6.1% market share, while Walmart's network added more ports than any other non-Tesla company in the quarter, reaching 916 ports across 110 stations.
Why it matters
The figures confirm Electrify America's dominant position among non-Tesla networks and provide procurement teams with current scale benchmarks for the US fast-charging market. Walmart's aggressive second quarter rollout signals a major retail-led expansion that could reshape site partnership opportunities for CPOs and equipment suppliers.
Queue and reservation hardware shifts from niche to core layer as high utilisation sites hit capacity limits
The global market for public EV charging queue and reservation hardware is entering structural expansion as charge point operators face physical limits at high utilisation sites, according to an IndexBox report entering 2026. Demand is splitting between integrated systems for new high power hubs and retrofit solutions for existing stations. The hardware includes integrated displays, sensors, payment terminals, communication modules and access controllers, with supply chains characterised by validation requirements where approved vendor status with major CPOs and Tier 1 integrators often matters more than unit cost.
Why it matters
CPOs planning procurement must now evaluate queue management as core infrastructure rather than optional add on, with vendor selection increasingly driven by validation and integration partnerships rather than price alone. The bifurcation between new build and retrofit creates distinct channel and specification strategies for operators upgrading networks.