Pilot takes the lion’s share of Ohio NEVI funding

Dive Brief:

Pilot Co. has been awarded 14 of the 27 initial grants under Ohio’s National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) funding, according to information from the state.
In total, Pilot has received more than $9.5 million of the roughly $18.4 million the state apportioned out. Each Pilot site received varying amounts, ranging from around $650,000 to over $787,000.
As more c-stores consider what they’ll do after gasoline stops being as integral to their business, EV charging has become part of the picture for an increasing number of convenience retailers.

Dive Insight:

Pilot has big electrification plans. It previously stated its goal to reach 2,000 EV chargers across 500 of its travel centers, and also signed a letter of intent with Volvo group to create a network of chargers for medium and heavy-duty electric trucks.

These grants, overseen by the DriveOhio smart mobility department, will help Pilot build out its EV charging presence in Ohio.

“Ohio’s NEVI funding signifies an important step in Pilot Company’s commitment to ensuring American EV drivers have access to the charging they need,” said Tim Langenkamp, vice president of business development sustainability for Pilot, in an email. “Programs and funding opportunities like DriveOhio’s represent the public-private partnership required to accelerate the installation of EV charging infrastructure and reduce range anxiety.”

The grants are part of $5 billion in federal funds over five years being distributed to all 50 U.S. states along with Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. The money can be used to cover up to 80% of eligible expenses for locations that meet the criteria.

Ohio was the first state to release its recipients.

Ohio currently ranks 10th in the U.S. with more than 1,600 EV charging stations, according to data from Here Technologies and the ChargePoint API. The state is expected to have more than 37,000 electric vehicles registered by the end of 2023, working out to about 23 EVs per station.

Other c-stores on Ohio’s NEVI list include one location each for EG-Group owned Turkey Hill Mini Market, Shell and Casey’s General Stores. The rest of the list included three Meijer locations, a Chase Bank, a Dollar General, three shopping centers, a white Castle and a Best Western.

Knoxville, Tennessee-based Pilot, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, has more than 750 travel centers in 44 states and six provinces under its Pilot and Flying J brands, along with nearly 100 One9 Fuel Network locations.