Arizona's first three electric-vehicle fast-charging stations paid for by the federal National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program are now open, along Interstates 10, 19 and 8 in the southern part of the state. Two of the three are Tesla Superchargers. Public radio station KJZZ reported the openings on Oct. 18, and Electrek listed the sites the next day.
The Tucson site is a 325-kilowatt Tesla Supercharger at Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q on East Ajo Way, near I-10 and Kino Parkway. The Wellton site, east of Yuma, is a 325-kW Tesla Supercharger at a Chevron near I-8. The third, in Green Valley off I-19, is a 400-kW station run by Francis at the Verde Valley Center, according to Electrek.
What drivers get, and who pays
The stations are privately owned and operated. Federal grants cover 80% of each project and the developers pay the rest, KJZZ reported. The Arizona Department of Transportation says the stations offer both North American Charging Standard (NACS) and Combined Charging System (CCS) plugs, which covers most EVs on the road, and that a typical charge takes about 30 minutes. Neither report gave a port-by-port breakdown for the three sites.
That plug detail matters for owners of non-Tesla EVs, since two of the first three sites carry Tesla's name. ADOT spokesperson Garin Groff told KJZZ that most stations will be at gas stations, where drivers already stop, with restaurants and hotels also possible hosts.
Arizona's first NEVI-funded fast chargers
| Location | Highway | Operator | Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tucson (Rudy's, E. Ajo Way) | I-10 | Tesla Supercharger | 325 kW |
| Green Valley (Verde Valley Center) | I-19 | Francis | 400 kW |
| Wellton (Chevron, Commerce Way) | I-8 | Tesla Supercharger | 325 kW |
Source: Electrek, Oct. 19, 2026, citing ADOT. Connector counts per site were not published.
Why it took this long
Congress created NEVI in 2021 as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Arizona began taking bids for its first round of fast chargers in January 2024 and made its first awards that August, but construction did not start until early 2026, Electrek reported. In between, the federal government suspended state NEVI plans in February 2025 and froze the money. Arizona lost access to about $48.1 million that had not yet been committed and canceled a solicitation for 35 sites. A federal judge granted preliminary relief in June 2025 and ruled in January 2026 that the funds had been unlawfully withheld. The Federal Highway Administration issued new interim final guidance for the program in August 2025.
Arizona is not alone. Oregon, which received $52 million, still had no NEVI-funded fast chargers open as of Oct. 2, and no federally funded fast-charging station was operating on the West Coast, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported. Citing the advocacy group Plug In America, OPB said 132 of the 1,014 NEVI-funded charging sites announced nationwide were running as of Aug. 12.
What comes next in Arizona
ADOT plans to use $76.5 million in NEVI money to build as many as 79 stations, generally within 3 miles of a highway and with no more than about 90 miles between them once the network is finished. Two more stations, in Seligman and Holbrook on I-40, are due to open before the end of 2026.
ADOT is also seeking bids for 49 more locations, 31 new and 18 that went unawarded earlier, backed by about $49 million in federal money. Proposals are due Jan. 15, 2027, and Electrek reports construction is expected in 2028 and to last about a year. Until then, drivers heading across the state should check a charging app for which sites are open and which plugs each one offers.
