Chattanooga's EPB plans to install a fast charging station for electric vehicles just off Exit 1 on Interstate 75 in East Ridge to add to the Tennessee Valley Authority's growing fast charging network.
EPB will install two fast chargers, each with two charging ports, adjacent to its power substations near Camp Jordan next year. Elizabeth Hammitt, director of residential energy and environmental solutions at EPB, said the site is well suited for interstate travelers needing to charge their electric vehicles because it is both close to I-75 and offers opportunities for food, recreation and other activities for travelers while their EV is plugged in.
"This site is right off the exit and close to Camp Jordan where people can take a walk or use the park facilities, and it is close to a lot of restaurants and other amenities," Hammitt said in a telephone interview. "We felt like Camp Jordan is a great location, and the people of East Ridge have been really welcoming to the idea. There also isn't any public charging for EVs in that area, so we think we're also filling a need in this part of town."
Unlike gas-powered vehicles that can be quickly fueled at gas stations in a few minutes, charging electric vehicles takes more time. To help allay range anxiety concerns about charging EVs on the road, the Tennessee Department of Transportation and TVA are supporting local power companies and other developers to install rapid chargers every 50 miles along major Tennessee highways.
Each direct-current fast-charging station being installed by EPB near Camp Jordan will charge most EVs up to 80% in approximately 40 minutes, depending on weather conditions. New EV fast chargers will be on EPB's property at the corner of Camp Jordan Parkway and Lenora Road with capacity to charge a maximum of four EVs at one time.
"Adding fast charging stations to one of our area's busiest corridors along the I-75/I-24 interchange will serve nearby residents and commuters as well as the thousands of travelers who pass through the area every day," EPB President David Wade said in a statement Wednesday. "With EV sales projected to represent 40% of new vehicles sold by 2030, having more charging stations available gives drivers confidence they will be able to access power when they need it."
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Similar fast charging stations have already been added nearby in Fort Payne, Alabama, which opened TVA's first fast chargers in January 2022, and in Scottsboro, Alabama, last month. Across the Tennessee Valley, TVA is supporting at least 80 rapid chargers to power the growing number of electric vehicles.
To date, 19 fast charging locations have been completed with 44 individual charging points, according to TVA spokesperson Scott Fiedler.
The TVA program is part of the broader National Electric Highway Coalition, which seeks to enable long-distance EV travel by placing fast chargers along interstates and major highways throughout the United States.
In 2022, the Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation awarded $5.2 million in grant funding for the installation of more fast chargers across the state, including $300,000 to EPB, which is investing another $75,000 of its own money to install the rapid chargers. Users will pay according to the amount of electricity used to charge their batteries, but at current prices it should be cheaper than fueling a comparable vehicle with gasoline.
"Tennessee's air is cleaner as measured by federal air quality standards than it has been in generations, and a clean environment helps drive economic development," TDEC Deputy Commissioner Greg Young said in an announcement Wednesday. "TDEC is partnering with TVA and EPB on the development of this station to continue Tennessee's environmental and economic momentum while further entrenching our state as the epicenter of the electric vehicle transition."
(READ MORE: EV sales comprise 9% of U.S. vehicle sales)
EPB expects work to begin in early 2024 with chargers ready for public use by the end of August 2024. EPB will also provide way-finding signage so EV drivers can easily locate the stations.
According to the website PlugShare, there are already 22 fast-charging ports in the Chattanooga area, but the new EPB fast chargers will be the most accessible for highway travelers.
Contact Dave Flessner at dflessner@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6340.