Arizona’s first three electric vehicle charging stations built with federal funding are now open, including a location in Wellton along Interstate 8 in eastern Yuma County.
The station is located at the Chevron at 28864 Commerce Way, near Avenue 29 East. It is part of a statewide effort to expand access to fast chargers and make longer trips in electric vehicles more practical.
The Arizona Department of Transportation is administering $76.5 million in federal funding through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program. The program aims to build as many as 79 publicly accessible charging stations across Arizona.
The Wellton station joins two others that have opened in Tucson and Green Valley. Two additional stations are expected to open later this year along Interstate 40, in Seligman and Holbrook, according to ADOT.
More charging stations planned across Arizona
ADOT has also opened bidding for 49 additional charging stations, backed by an estimated $49 million in federal funding. The proposed locations include sites along major interstate highways and state and U.S. routes throughout Arizona.
Bids are due Jan. 15, 2027. Construction is expected to begin in 2028 and take about a year.
The planned network is designed to place charging stations generally no more than 90 miles apart and within three miles of a highway. Most locations are expected to have at least four 150-kilowatt direct-current fast chargers.
The chargers are intended to charge a typical electric vehicle in 30 minutes or less. Most stations are expected to offer both Tesla’s North American Charging Standard plug and the Combined Charging System connector used by other electric vehicles.
The stations will be privately owned and operated. Federal funding will cover up to 80 percent of eligible project costs, with private developers responsible for at least 20 percent. ADOT says no state funding will be used to build the stations.
More information about Arizona’s electric vehicle infrastructure plan is available at ADOT.gov/EVPlan.
