COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio has become the first state to activate a charger through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program, Gov. Mike DeWine announced Friday.

The charging station is at a Pilot Travel Center on I-70 at U.S. Route 42 located in Madison County. The facility has chargers that provide up to 350 kilowatts when charging a single vehicle or up to 175 kilowatts when four are charging at the same time.

“Any industry that focuses on innovations for the future is a priority for Ohio," DeWine said in a media release. "Electric vehicles are the future of transportation, and we want drivers in Ohio to have access to this technology today."

The release also noted that construction will start soon on two dozen other such facilities, also funded by NEVI, and that the first round of installations is expected to be “operational” by the end of next year.

“For years, our team has trailblazed the expansion of electric vehicle infrastructure, becoming a model for other states implementing the NEVI program,” ODOT Director Jack Marchbanks said in the release. “America’s first new charging station puts us one step closer to making travel easier for EV drivers.”

$140 million in NEVI funding will — over the next five years — go to Ohio for the installation of these stations.

“While the first round focused on interstates, future rounds will fill in infrastructure gaps along major U.S. and state routes,” the release states. “ODOT is currently accepting proposals for the next round of funding through 1 p.m. on Jan. 25, 2024.”