The Oklahoma Transportation Commissioners made quick work Monday of approving a new firm to build part of Oklahoma’s EV charging network mandated by the federal government.
The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure or NEVI charging infrastructure contract was awarded to EVgo to locate part of the network along Interstate 44. Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the contract and did so without any questions.
Tesla won the original contract as awarded last April.
“Tesla could not meet program standards for the gap awarded along I-44 in Oklahoma City, explained Jared Schennesen, Multi-Modal Division Manager to the 9 commissioners. “Due to not meeting the program requirements, ODOT required that the award be revoked from Tesla as direct by state procurement rules and awarded to second place finisher, EVgo for this gap.”
EVgo won the award for a total of $519,740 and Schennesen said it reduced the total project cost by $317,932. The federal share of the project will increase by $201,781 bringing the final total to $801,780.
EVgo describes itself as a firm where 145+ million people in the U.S. live within 10 miles of an EVgo fast charger. With more than 1,000 fast charging locations, it boasts a charging network in 40 states serves over 65 metropolitan areas.
It was in 2010 when EVgo was formed as part of a settlement betweenNRG Energy and the California Public Utilities Commission following the Enron scandal. As part of the formation, EVgo was forced to invest $100 million in the installation of public EV chargers. Six years later, the company was sold to Vision Ridge Partners, an investment group then sold in 2020 to LS Power.
The Biden administration set aside $5 billion for th NEVI program in a mandated effort to boost electric vehicle sales across the country. Its goal is the placement of 500,000 EV chargers by 2030. Oklahoma’s intended share from 2022 to 2026 is supposed to be $66 million. The NEVI program was created by the Infrastructure Investment Jobs Act to help states with the mandatory buildout of the nationwide electrical vehicle infrastructure.