Tennessee awards 2.7 million dollars for 22 EV chargers at eight sites, none in northeast region
By Eve
The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation announced in July that it awarded approximately 2.7 million dollars in Volkswagen Diesel Settlement Environmental Mitigation Trust grant funding for 22 electric vehicle charging units across eight sites statewide, with the nearest to Northeast Tennessee located in Clairborne County. The funding is part of the Fast Charge TN Network, a partnership between TDEC and Tennessee Valley Authority, which had 10 charging stations northeast of Knoxville as of July 2026, representing about 22 per cent of the state network. Some projects from the first funding round announced in 2022 remain in development.
Why it matters: The 2.7 million dollar allocation demonstrates continued state investment in highway charging infrastructure through settlement funds, though the geographic distribution leaves gaps in Northeast Tennessee. Procurement teams and CPOs should note that earlier 2022 awards are still being built out, signalling potential delays in project timelines for state funded networks.