Electrify America Completes Coast-to-Coast EV Charging Route

author: Vineeth Joel Patel   

Going from one end of the country to the other is something we don't envision a lot of electric-car owners want to tackle. With range anxiety, a lack of available chargers, and the fact that electric vehicles get horrible fuel economy on the highway, we don't expect a lot of owners to get excited about the possibility of a cross-country trip. 

Even if you were going to use one of Tesla's 400-mile EVs. For electric car owners that do want to go from one side of America to the other, Electrify America recently completed a cross-country charging route that's ready to be used.


Route From D.C. To Los Angeles Now Open


The Volkswagen-backed charging network announced its first cross-country route that goes from Washington, D.C. to Los Angeles, CA. The route spans 11 states, follows I-15 and I-70, and covers a distance of 2,700 miles. Along the route, EV owners will find quite a lot of 350-kW DC fast-chargers, as well as a few multiple metro charging stations. Being able to plug into a fast-charging station will surely be appreciated, as those can drastically reduce the overall charging time compared to a Level 2 charger.


Furthermore, Electrify America, apparently, put some thought into connecting its charging stations. The company claims the majority of charging stations along the route are roughly 70 miles apart, so if you choose not to stop at one, there's another one that's not too far away. Also, the chargers are located in metro areas and near shopping and dining amenities. You won't have to twiddle your thumbs while you wait for your EV to charge.


"Electrify America's primary goal has always been to advance electric vehicle adoption in the U.S., and that starts by instilling feelings of confidence and freedom in consumers when it comes to EV ownership," said Anthony Lambkin, director of operations at Electrify America. "The completion of our first cross-country route is a significant step towards that goal – by making long-distance travel in an EV a reality, we hope to encourage more consumers to make the switch to electric."


A Second Route Coming Soon


The first route from the nation's capital to Los Angeles is just the first one Electrify America will introduce. The company claims that a second cross-country route is in the works. That one will be available by September and will go from Jacksonville, FL to San Diego, CA. The majority of the route will see EV drivers travel on I-10 and I-8.


With an overall lack of charging stations, hearing that Electrify America has come up with a cross-country route may seem like a waste. But it's another step forward to prove that EVs are just as useable as gas-powered cars. So, while the routes may not be used for their intended purposes by millions of people, they're still nice to have.


Electrify America claims it has over 435 operational charging stations and over 1,900 DC fast chargers available. Last year, the company claims it opened roughly 1.2 DC fast-charging stations per business day. Going forward, the company hopes to have roughly 800 total charging stations and 3,500 DC fast chargers available before the end of 2021.

Vineeth Joel Patel

Joel Patel has been covering all aspects of the automotive industry for four years as an editor and freelance writer for various websites. When it comes to cars, he enjoys covering the merger between technology and cars. In his spare time, Joel likes to watch baseball, work on his car, and try new foods