Minnesota Commits $41.2 Million in Its Largest-Ever EV Charging Grant Round to Extend Fast-Charging Beyond Interstates
The Minnesota Department of Transportation has launched its third and largest round of EV charging grants, committing $41.2 million to fund up to 40 new DC fast-charging sites across Greater Minnesota — targeting rural and small-city highways beyond the interstate network — with each funded site required to install at least four NACS and four CCS1 connectors.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) announced on 2 September 2026 that it is distributing $41.2 million in grants for new EV charging infrastructure, its third and largest funding round under the programme. The priority for this round is coverage in Greater Minnesota — the rural and suburban areas beyond the Twin Cities metropolitan region and away from the main interstate highway system.
Up to 40 new DC fast-charging sites are planned. Each funded site is required to include at least four NACS (SAE J3400) connectors and four CCS1 connectors, reflecting the ongoing transition in the US market as most new electric vehicles adopt the NACS plug standard while a significant installed base of CCS1-equipped vehicles remains in circulation.
MnDOT stated that this round addresses gaps identified after its first two grant cycles, which focused heavily on Interstate 35, Interstate 94 and other primary corridors. Drivers travelling on US and state highways between smaller Minnesota cities have faced fewer charging options, and the new sites are intended to make EV travel practical on routes beyond the established corridors.
The funding is drawn from the federal National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program, which passed funds to Minnesota and other states to build out a minimum public charging network. This third round extends that mandate inward from designated alternative-fuel corridors to the wider state road network.