Tesla Announces $100M Award Split for Revolutionary Electric Truck Charging Corridor in Illinois
Tesla is making significant strides in the electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure landscape, collaborating with key industry partners on a groundbreaking initiative. Recently, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) secured $100 million in funding to establish electric truck charging stations throughout the state. This funding marks a major step forward for the electric truck charging infrastructure in the Midwest.
Funding Details from the Federal Highway Administration
The recent funding award is the largest granted by the Biden administration’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) during the second round of the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Program (CFI). In total, the CFI distributed $636 million to 49 applicants in this round, following an earlier distribution of over $1 billion to approximately 100 applicants in the first round in 2024.
Other Projects and Tesla’s Role
Although Tesla was instrumental in this successful application, another separate project, which aimed to create an electric trucking corridor from Northern California to Southern Texas, did not receive funding in either round. Tesla has been actively developing its electric big rig, known as the Tesla Semi, but it has yet to enter commercial production.
Collaboration and Application Process
Megha Lakhchaura, the Illinois state EV officer, highlighted the motivation behind pursuing CFI funding. Inspired by TeraWatt’s $63 million win to develop heavy-duty charging along the I-10 corridor, Lakhchaura initiated the application process last year. The Illinois EPA partnered with:
- Tesla
- Prologis (a logistics real estate firm)
- Gage Zero (a fleet electrification company)
- Pilot (a truck stop giant)
These partners combined their requests into a single application, showcasing a unified approach to enhancing EV infrastructure.
Funding Allocation and Future Plans
Despite receiving slightly less than their combined request of approximately $126 million, the awarded funds will significantly boost Illinois’ electric truck charging capabilities. The funding will facilitate the installation of 345 charging ports and vehicle stalls across 14 sites, with chargers ranging from 150kW to 1MW.
Each partner contributed additional funding to support the project:
- Prologis: $18 million
- Tesla: $19 million
- Gage Zero: $4 million
- Pilot: $2.5 million
Importance of Midwestern EV Infrastructure
Lakhchaura emphasized the vital need for electric truck charging solutions in the Midwest, stating, “Most of the development has happened on the coasts, and there’s nothing really happening in the Midwest, which is not great for long-haul trucking.” She believes this initiative could become a hub of national significance for electric trucking.
For more information on electric vehicle infrastructure initiatives, visit the U.S. Department of Transportation’s website.
Stay updated on Tesla’s endeavors by following their official website and checking out recent developments in the EV sector!
