Pennsylvania Leads U.S. in Building EV Charging Stations

Pennsylvania just became the first state in America to build dozens of electric vehicle charging stations, and small towns are seeing them as secret weapons to boost Main Street businesses.

Steve Herman has been crisscrossing central Pennsylvania for a year, asking residents a simple question: where should we put charging stations? He's the transportation planning director for SEDA-COG, an economic development group serving eight counties.

The answer keeps coming back to downtown. "People can let their vehicles sit for a bit and walk the stores downtown and grab food," Herman explains. The stations won't just serve locals—they'll draw visitors from other towns.

Pennsylvania is receiving $171 million from a federal program to build charging networks across the country. The state has already installed at least three dozen chargers, more than any other state, using about one-third of its allocated funds.

The secret to Pennsylvania's success? PennDOT started preparing years ago, partnering with local gas stations and community groups long before federal money arrived. When the funding came through, the state was ready to move fast.

The first round of money went to major highways, ensuring drivers could find a charger every 50 miles on routes like the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Pennsylvania was the first state to hit that goal.

The second wave reached smaller cities in Northeast Pennsylvania, Erie and the Pittsburgh suburbs. Now the final round is focusing on what Herman calls "community-focused" projects in small towns.

Herman created an online tool that lets residents drop pins on a map to recommend charging locations. He's hosted workshops with chambers of commerce to figure out how to turn the stations into economic engines for struggling downtowns.

The Ripple Effect

Transportation is one of the biggest sources of greenhouse gas emissions in America, with passenger cars and trucks creating over half of those emissions. Experts say widespread charging networks remove the biggest barrier to people buying electric vehicles: the fear of running out of power.

"You're not gonna get an EV if you feel nervous about where you're going to charge it," says Alissa Burger, regional policy director at CALSTART, a clean transportation group. The federal program is "creating a foundation" that encourages people to make the switch.

Just a few years ago, states were on their own. A 2019 Pennsylvania plan proposed only four charging stations with state funding. "There was intention. I don't think there was a lot of funding behind it," Burger notes.

Now small towns see charging stations the same way previous generations saw highway exits: as chances to put their communities on the map. While drivers wait 20 or 30 minutes for their vehicles to charge, they can grab lunch at a local diner or browse a bookshop.

Pennsylvania's model shows that building the future doesn't have to leave small towns behind.