NEVI DC Fast Charging Station Average Project Cost: $915,000

There are three keys to profitability for DCFC charge-point operators: deployment costs, operating and maintenance costs, and charging and add-on/amenity revenue.

Based on Paren's analysis of 330 winning National Electric Vehicles Infrastructure (NEVI) site awards, the average total NEVI project cost is $915,420. The median total cost is $802,267 and the top quartile is $1,053,624.

DC fast charger deployment project costs have many variables, including construction and engineering, amenities such as canopies and pull-through lanes, and the hardware chosen. The mean project cost per port is $192,614 and the median is $183,116.

The highest NEVI project cost to date is nearly $3.6 million for a 4-port site in Hawaii that includes battery storage. The lowest site cost is $132,480 at a Kwik Stop store in Wisconsin.

Going forward, expect trends that lead to both increasing and decreasing deployment costs. On the decreasing side, companies including Tesla and EVgo are using pre-fabricated charger installations. EVgo states that these pre-built platforms can reduce station construction costs by 15 percent.

As the public fast charging ecosystem matures, with venture-backed startups to large companies such as Mercedes-Benz, Walmart, IONNA, and others entering the market — expect more dedicated charging hubs with more chargers, additional amenities, and canopies.

By Loren McDonald, Chief Analyst