Kwik Trip plans to start the rollout of the first of its 24 planned electric vehicle charging stations, with the initial two slated to open in October.
The first two are under construction in the Wisconsin communities of Ashland and Salem, with two others planned later in 2024. The majority of the stations will be built in 2025, according to Ben Leibl, public relations specialist for the convenience store chain.
The state of Wisconsin previously allocated $23.3 million in funds it received under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program to offset the costs of installing 53 electric vehicle charging stations in the state.
Those stations are expected to cost $33.8 million in aggregate. The remaining $10.5 million is to come from private financing.
La Crosse-based Kwik Trip will open 24 of the 53 EV charging stations planned for Wisconsin, the most of any single entity among the hotels, restaurants and fuel retailers that are part of the project.
The Kwik Trip program will provide direct current fast chargers (DCFCs) for customers. It will include connectors for both Combined Charging System (CCS) and North American Charging Standard (NACS), "allowing drivers of almost any electric vehicle to charge at a safe, clean and staffed 24/7 location," Kwik Trip said in a Monday news release.
According to the retailer, the chargers will offer a minimum of 150kW of power per dispenser when four vehicles are plugged in, or up to 400kW of power for a single vehicle.
"These rates depend on a variety of factors when the vehicle pulls up, but Kwik Trip is excited to be able to offer some of the fastest chargers in the market, furthering their commitment to quality guest service," the company said.
Customers will also be able to view charger availability, pricing and where chargers are through a standalone mobile application.