The Arizona Department of Transportation opened bids today for companies to build, operate and maintain 34 new electric vehicle charging stations statewide, including one on John Wayne Parkway at Smith-Enke Road.
The Maricopa location was first identified two years ago in ADOT’s statewide plan to create a connected network of rapid-charging stations. Today’s bid opening moves the project from planning into procurement, allowing private firms to compete for construction and long-term operation of the site.
The Smith-Enke charger is part of Phase Two of Arizona’s electric-vehicle infrastructure program, which extends beyond the initial interstate corridors approved last year. Phase Two adds Maricopa and 30 other new sites, and re-bids three from Phase One that were not awarded.
Last summer, InMaricopa reported that more than 800 state-registered Maricopa electric vehicle owners marked a record high, according to the Motor Vehicle Division.
ADOT’s goal is to place stations no more than 50 miles apart and within 1 mile of a major highway, making long-distance electric travel practical across the state. Each site will include at least four 150-kilowatt direct-current fast chargers capable of powering most EVs in 30 minutes or less.
Beginning this year, all new stations must support both Tesla’s North American Charging Standard and the Combined Charging System connectors, ensuring compatibility for nearly every EV on the road.
The program is funded through $76.5 million in federal dollars from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure initiative. Federal funds will cover up to 80% of each project’s cost, with the remaining 20% coming from the private developers who will ultimately own and operate the sites.
No state funds will be used.
Bids for all 34 locations are due Jan. 16. ADOT expects to award contracts later that year, with construction beginning in 2027 and taking about a year to complete.
Earlier this year, a Tesla-branded Supercharger station, the first of its kind proposed in Maricopa, was submitted for review further south on John Wayne Parkway. ADOT officials say the combined public-private effort will connect Arizona’s highways with consistent, reliable charging options to reduce “range anxiety” and encourage broader EV adoption.
For more information, visit AZDOT.gov/EVPlan to view the statewide map and project updates.
