By Hyunjoo Jin
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – SK Signet told Reuters on Friday that it has signed a deal to supply 1,000 electric vehicle chargers to Francis Energy, in a move to tap federal funding on charging stations nationwide.
The two are among several companies which were selected by Ohio state to receive more than $18 million in combined federal funds to build 27 electric vehicle fast charging stations along some of its interstate corridors.
Ohio was the first state to release a request for charging station proposals last year. The Biden administration is distributing $5 billion to states to build charging stations nationwide to address consumer concerns about EV driving range, one of the major hurdles for its ambitious goal to have 50 percent of all new vehicle sales be electric by 2030.
SK Signet, one of major fast charger makers, said in a statement that its partnership with Francis Energy to provide the 400 kilowatt EV charging dispensers “will ensure a supply of made-in-America chargers sufficient to meet the administration’s goal.”
SK Signet, which also counts charging station operators Electrify America and EVgo as its customers, last month opened its first U.S. manufacturing facility in Texas.
SK Signet said last month it will introduce electric-vehicle chargers compatible with Tesla’s technology this year, following recent moves by major automakers Ford and GM to adopt Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS).
Ohio said all 27 stations announced this week will have the required Combined Charging System (CCS) plug, not Tesla connectors. “We’re considering whether to require it (the Tesla connector) or make it an optional enhancement in future rounds,” a state official told Reuters.
(Reporting by Hyunjoo Jin; Editing by Aurora Ellis)
