The United States’ public electric vehicle (EV) fast charging network saw the addition of over 3,000 new DC fast charging plugs in the first quarter, according to data from Paren, a platform monitoring nearly all of the nation’s DC charging infrastructure. Despite a slowdown in new EV sales, investments in charging infrastructure continue at a steady pace, with a clear shift toward higher-powered chargers and improved reliability.
From January to March, American charging networks commissioned 3,387 new DC fast charging ports and opened 617 new stations. This brings the total to 13,708 stations and 73,394 ports nationwide. These figures are consistent with the previous year, signaling a stable expansion rate. However, the strategy behind this growth is evolving, with companies increasingly focusing on expanding capacity at existing sites rather than opening new locations.
The majority of new installations feature high-power charging stalls, with most offering outputs above 250 kW. Charging operators are leveraging experience from earlier deployments to boost reliability, which has improved to an average range of 90-95% uptime, up from last year’s 85-92%. This shift aims to address one of the main concerns among EV owners: charger dependability.
CCS1 remains the preferred connector type for most charging operators, outpacing the newer NACS (North American Charging Standard) connector used by Tesla. In the first quarter, non-Tesla networks opened 606 NACS ports and 2,102 CCS1 connectors, while 154 CHAdeMO ports—an older standard—were also commissioned. Notably, despite more vehicles with NACS connectors now available, non-Tesla sites still have a higher number of CHAdeMO ports.
Tesla continues to lead the sector, installing 880 new ports in the first quarter, representing 26% of the total, although this is a decrease from its previous market share. Ionna, backed by loveral automakers, and Red E followed with 278 and 264 new ports, respectively. Meanwhile, the cost of charging has remained stable, with most locations pricing between $0.45 and $0.55 per kilowatt-hour, even as petrol prices remain high nationwide.
While EV sales in the US dropped by 27% compared to the previous year’s first quarter, charging infrastructure expansion has not slowed. The lengthy planning and approval times for new stations mean that infrastructure projects are less reactive to short-term sales shifts. The sustained focus on building a reliable, high-capacity network reflects industry expectations that long-term EV adoption will increase, creating a need for robust support for existing and future vehicles on US roads.
It is clear that the US charging infrastructure is entering a new phase, emphasizing not just growth in numbers but also in quality and reliability. The move towards high-powered chargers and improved uptime targets the main pain points for EV users, while competition among operators ensures continued investment. As the automotive market navigates fluctuating sales and evolving standards, the groundwork being laid by charging companies today positions the US to better support broader EV adoption in the years ahead.
