Paren Predicts Record 3.3M Sessions in EV Fast-Charging Sessions This Holiday Week—a 20% Surge

This week is the Super Bowl of public EV charging. With Thanksgiving travel ramping up, Paren forecasts that three of the five busiest DC Fast-charging days of 2025 will occur in the next seven days.

An estimated 82 million Americans will be on the road this week*, and EV drivers will feel their share of the surge. Paren’s analysis shows that DC Fast-charging sessions are poised to rise at least 20% year-over-year as holiday travel hits full stride.

Fast Charging Infrastructure grew by 30% YoY (ports/stations), adding over 400 new stations of 10+ ports

The network is better prepared than ever. According to the Paren Public Charging Database, U.S. DC Fast-charging infrastructure has expanded 30% since Thanksgiving 2025, including 400+ new stations offering 10 or more simultaneous charging ports—stations that either didn’t exist a year ago or have since undergone major upgrades. As highlighted in our Q3 State of the Industry Report, charging capacity growth continues to outpace utilization, a positive sign for EV drivers hoping for shorter lines and more available plugs.

EV drivers have now access to a wider and more reliable network

Another catalyst for this year’s surge: access. Most non-Tesla EVs can now use 70% of the Tesla Supercharger network, unlocking more than 25,000 additional ports. This should ease range anxiety for many, though drivers may still find themselves maneuvering into older or shorter-cable stalls.

Just as important, reliability is moving in the right direction rising to 92.3 in Q3 2025. The result is fewer outages and more consistently available plugs across the network. In other words, drivers aren’t only gaining more places to charge; they’re gaining more confidence that those chargers will work when they arrive.

Even with expanded infrastructure, congestion along major corridors is inevitable. Historically, Thanksgiving morning remains the one quiet window in an otherwise high-demand week—helpful for those with flexible travel or charging schedules.

Wherever your plans take you, stay patient, stay courteous, and enjoy the ride—along with the time spent with family and friends.

*Source: AAA