Electric Vehicle Route Opens for Transcontinental Journey Across the US

Six Major US Power Companies Collaborate to Build Electric Vehicle Charging Network

[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] According to recent reports by The Hill, a U.S. political media outlet, six major U.S. power companies, including American Electric Power (AEP), the largest electric utility company in the United States, have formed the Electric Highway Coalition (EHC), a joint electric vehicle charging network.

The companies participating in the establishment of this joint electric vehicle charging network include AEP, Dominion Energy, Duke Energy, Entergy, Southern Company, and Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).

EHC-related facilities will be installed along major highways in the U.S. Midwest and Southeast regions. EHC stated in a press release, "We will first install and operate an electric vehicle charging network connecting West Texas to the Gulf of Mexico and the East Coast region, and gradually expand the network across the entire United States."

Once the joint electric vehicle charging network installation is completed, it is expected that cross-continental travel by electric vehicle will become possible. EHC said, "This initiative will overcome the limitations of infrastructure constraints that have restricted transactions and will be an unprecedented effort to enable long-distance travel by electric vehicles without interruption."

They explained, "The goal of establishing EHC is to overcome the structural limitations of charging infrastructure that private companies have managed individually."

The six companies plan to install charging station facilities in their respective jurisdictions while jointly developing and implementing a mobile payment service.

Nicholas Akins, Chairman and CEO of AEP, said, "We are cooperating with relevant regulatory agencies to introduce incentive programs that award bonus points to vehicles with excellent electric vehicle efficiency and to implement fare discount systems."