Electric vehicles - Public charging stations

2023

To help ensure electric vehicle owners have ready access to power when needed, Washington has worked with its EV partners to increase the number of public EV charging stations and ports. As of 2023, the state had:

• 1,825 Level 2 charging station locations (208-Volt to 240-Volt). Depending on the vehicle's acceptance rate and power output of the station, this takes about three to eight hours to fully charge. The 1,825 locations represent a 25% increase since 2022 when there were 1,462 and a 217% increase since 2019 when there were 575 Level 2 charging station locations.
• 291 Direct Current fast charging station locations (400-Volt to 900-Volt, depending on the vehicle's acceptance rate and power output of the station, this takes about 30-60 minutes to fully charge. The 291 locations represent a 29% increase since 2022 when there were 226 and a 191% increase since 2019 when there were 100 Direct Current fast charging station locations.

Washington state's Interagency Electric Vehicle Coordinating Council completed a Transportation Electrification Strategy in 2023 which modeled EV infrastructure needs; the state is notably deficient with only 291 direct current fast charging stations. The state aims to have publicly accessible DC fast charging stations every 50 miles on all roadways. This will account for a total of 2,633 miles designated as alternative fuel corridors. WSDOT is aiming to meet these needs using the federally funded National EV Infrastructure Formula Program and the state-funded Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Partnership Program to construct these charging stations along all interstates, U.S. routes, and state routes.

2022

To help ensure electric vehicles have ready access to power when needed, Washington has worked with its EV partners to increase the number of EV charging stations and ports. As of 2022, the state had:

• 1,462 Level 2 charging stations (Level 2 Charging: 208-Volt to 240-Volt). Depending on the vehicle, this takes around eight hours to completely charge.
• 226 Direct Current fast charging stations (Fast Charging: 400-Volt to 900-Volt). Fast chargers allow most vehicles to recharge in minutes as opposed to hours.

Washington state's Interagency Electric Vehicle Coordinating Council along with the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program are leveraging state and federal resources to the ensure electric vehicle incentives, infrastructure, and opportunities are available and accessible to everyone.

2021

To help ensure electric vehicles have ready access to power when needed, Washington has worked with its EV partners to increase the number of EV charging stations and ports. As of 2021, the state has:

• 1,605 Level 2 electric vehicle supply equipment units with 3,404 ports (Level 2 Charging: 208-Volt to 240-Volt). Depending on the vehicle, this will take around eight hours to completely charge.
• 217 Direct Current fast chargers with 726 ports (Fast Charging: 400-Volt to 900-Volt). Fast chargers allow most vehicles to recharge in minutes as opposed to hours.

In the past five years, the total number of charging ports (both Level 2 and DC fast chargers) has increased 131% from 1,790 to 4,130.

Because not all electric vehicles use the same type of fast charger to plug in and recharge, WSDOT works with partners to ensure a variety is offered. Increased EV adoption is expected to help the state progress toward its goals of reducing greenhouse gases, protecting public health and the environment, and promoting economic growth.

2020

To help ensure electric vehicles have ready access to power when needed, Washington has worked with its EV partners to increase the number of EV charging stations and ports. The state has:

• 1,262 Level 2 electric vehicle supply equipment units with 2,528 ports, and
• 181 Direct Current fast chargers with 591 ports

In the past five years, the total number of charging ports (both Level 2 and DC fast chargers) has increased 133% from 1,337 to 3,119.

Because not all electric vehicles use the same type of fast charger to plug in and recharge, WSDOT works with partners to ensure a wide variety is offered at locations across the state. Increased EV adoption is expected to help the state progress toward its goals of reducing greenhouse gases, protecting public health and the environment, and promoting economic growth.

2019

WSDOT completes fast charging network to the Tri-Cities

EV drivers traveling from Seattle or Spokane to the Tri-Cities on I-90, I-82 and US 395 can now access public fast chargers every 40 miles along their routes. WSDOT invested about $2.5 million in grants and partnership matching funds into new EV charging infrastructure during the 2017-2019 biennium through WSDOT's Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Partnerships Program.

EVIPP contributed to the installation of fast charging equipment within a mile of highway exits in 15 communities throughout Washington state. Nine new stations in eastern Washington bridged the charging gap between the Tri-Cities and I-90 to both the west and the northeast of Tri-Cities. Six new charging sites on the I-5 corridor strengthened the existing fast charging network. These new stations and other charging infrastructure investments increased the number of public charging ports in Washington 206%, from 949 in 2015 to 2,905 in 2019.

The EVIPP grant funding encouraged private sector investment by sharing costs for finding sites, equipment purchases, electrical upgrades, installation, operations and maintenance. WSDOT aims to continue expanding the state's network of EV charging stations along major highway corridors in Washington