TLDR
Paren's third-quarter report counts 80,964 fast-charging ports at 14,614 US stations, with 50.4 million sessions in the quarter, up 26% from a year earlier, and an average price of 54 cents per kWh; Tesla's non-member price rose 15% to 56.9 cents. Arizona opened its first three NEVI-funded stations on October 14 in Tucson, Green Valley, and Wellton, and proposals for 49 more stations are due January 15, 2027. TxDOT says 22 of its first-phase stations are open and it has awarded $226 million for 321 more. Seattle City Light and SDOT are taking requests for up to 200 curbside Level 2 chargers by 2030, with applications open through fall 2027.
US Fast Charging Passes 80,000 Ports, and the Price Keeps Rising
Paren's report for the third quarter of 2026, published October 13, counts 80,964 public fast-charging ports at 14,614 stations across the United States as of September 30. Operators added 4,106 ports at 664 new stations during the quarter. Drivers used the network more: 50.4 million fast-charging sessions, up 26% from 39.9 million a year earlier. Utilization held at 15.9%, close to last quarter's 15.8%.
What a session costs now. The national average was 54 cents per kWh. Tesla's price for non-members rose 15% over the year to 56.9 cents, and its member price rose 9% to 39.6 cents. Non-Tesla networks averaged about 53.3 cents, roughly where they have been for five quarters. Where networks charge by time of day, the average peak price was 63.7 cents and the off-peak price 43.8 cents.
Who is building. Tesla now holds 49.3% of US fast-charging ports, down from 54.3% a year ago, as other networks grow faster. And 73% of the ports added in the quarter are rated 250 kW or higher, up from 60% a year earlier.
What this means for you. For homeowners, the gap between public and home charging is the number to remember: the average US residential rate was 18.31 cents per kWh in July, per the Energy Information Administration, about a third of the public fast-charging average. Charging at home overnight on an off-peak plan widens that gap further. For commercial site hosts, where networks price by time of day, the 20-cent gap between peak and off-peak shows drivers are already being asked to shift when they charge. And 15.9% utilization is a national average, not a forecast for any one site.
Arizona Opens Its First Three Federally Funded Fast-Charging Stations
The Arizona Department of Transportation announced on October 14 that its first three stations funded by the federal NEVI program are open: on Interstate 10 near Kino Parkway in Tucson, on I-19 in Green Valley, and on I-8 in Wellton. Two more are planned to open later this year along I-40, in Seligman and Holbrook. Arizona has $76.5 million in NEVI funds to build as many as 79 stations.
How the stations are built. Most locations will have at least four 150 kW DC fast chargers with both NACS (SAE J3400) and CCS1 connectors. Federal money covers up to 80% of eligible project costs, the private developer pays at least 20%, and every station is privately owned and operated. ADOT says no state funds go into construction.
The next round is open. ADOT has opened bidding for 49 more stations, with an estimated $49 million in federal funding. Proposals are due by 2 p.m. on January 15, 2027, and construction is expected to start in 2028.
What this means for commercial site hosts. If you own a site on an Arizona interstate, the next bid round is the opening. A NEVI station is a long commitment: at least four fast chargers, a 20% cost share, and federal rules on uptime and years of operation. Talk to developers who are bidding before January if you want your site considered. Owning the chargers yourself is not the only way to take part.
Texas Says 22 NEVI Stations Are Open and 321 More Are Funded
The Texas Department of Transportation said in an October 15 update that 22 stations from the first phase of its NEVI program are open, five more are expected to open by the end of 2026, and another 30 are planned for 2027. For the second phase, TxDOT says it has awarded $226 million in federal funds for 321 stations: 264 in metropolitan planning areas and 57 in county seats. The update does not say when those awards were made.
Why the county seats matter. The second phase includes 57 stations in county seats, smaller towns that public fast charging often skips. TxDOT also says the number of EVs registered in Texas has climbed to 532,282, from 456,667 when it last reported in February.
What this means for you. If you drive long distances in Texas, more fast-charging options are funded, but TxDOT has not said when the second-phase stations will open. For commercial property owners, if your town is one of the funded locations, a station may be coming that would compete with one of your own. Check TxDOT's Statewide Planning Map, which shows existing and planned stations, before you plan a fast-charging investment.
Seattle Takes Requests for Up to 200 Curbside Chargers
Seattle City Light and the Seattle Department of Transportation announced on October 13 that they plan to add up to 200 curbside Level 2 chargers by 2030, and residents can apply now. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis through fall 2027, and installation runs from fall 2027 through 2030. The program follows a 2023 to 2024 pilot that put curbside chargers at 31 locations.
Who pays and where. Chargers inside Seattle are funded by the voter-approved Seattle Transportation Levy. City Light's transportation electrification budget pays for chargers in the parts of its service area outside the city, including Burien, SeaTac, Shoreline, and Tukwila. Sites are chosen to fill residential charging gaps and must have power available nearby.
What this means for homeowners and renters. No driveway or garage is the hardest case for owning an EV. If that describes you and you live in City Light's area, you can request a charger now. Sites must meet the city's criteria, including power nearby, so a request is not a guarantee. The utility has not published a per-kWh price for these chargers, so ask before you count on them as your main charging.
New on evcharginghelp.com This Week
"Park outside" recalls. A recall that tells you to park outside does not always mean you cannot charge. The charging instructions are a separate line in the notice, and they range from "do not charge" to charging outdoors up to a stated limit, such as 80% or 90%. Read the recall guide.
Maryland's charger incentives. The state's FY27 rebate pays 50% of eligible costs up to $700 for a Level 2 charger, and BGE and Pepco add smart-charging bill credits on top. See the Maryland incentive stack.
California's RIDE program. Eligible rideshare drivers can get up to $1,170 a year toward charging. We worked out how far that goes against what home charging actually costs. Read the RIDE breakdown.
Which EVs can back up your home. We updated our vehicle-to-home guide for October. GM's Chevrolet, GMC, and Cadillac EVs, the Tesla Cybertruck and newly ordered Model 3 and Model Y, and the Kia EV9 all have a home backup setup you can buy now. Ford no longer sells the charger that the F-150 Lightning's home backup system needs. See who sells V2H now.
By the Numbers
80,964: Public fast-charging ports in the US at the end of September, at 14,614 stations, per Paren's Q3 2026 report.
260,953: Public charging ports of all levels at 82,717 US locations, per the Department of Energy's Alternative Fuels Data Center as of October 17. Its fast-charging count, 79,015, is lower than Paren's; the two are compiled separately.
50.4 million: Fast-charging sessions in the third quarter, up 26% year over year, per Paren.
56.9 cents: Tesla's average non-member price per kWh, up 15% in a year, per Paren.
$49 million: Estimated federal funding in Arizona's next NEVI round for 49 stations, with proposals due January 15, 2027, per ADOT.
Sources: Paren, "US EV Fast Charging Q3 2026" (October 13, 2026), with coverage by EVwire and Electrek; the US Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly table 5.6.a (July 2026 data, released September 24, 2026); the Arizona Department of Transportation (October 14, 2026); the Texas Department of Transportation (October 15, 2026); Seattle City Light and the Seattle Department of Transportation (October 13, 2026); and the US Department of Energy Alternative Fuels Data Center station counts (October 17, 2026). evcharginghelp.com is editorially independent and receives no compensation from any company mentioned.
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