In California, the Fort Independence Indian Community (Fort Independence Travel Plaza & Winnedumah Winns Casino, Indian Community of Paiute Indians) will receive over $15 million to create a sustainable EV charging hub along the US Route 395 corridor. This hub will not only support EV drivers traveling through the Eastern Sierra Nevada range but will also be powered by a solar microgrid. See Number of Publicly Available Electric Vehicle Chargers Has Doubled Since Start of Biden-Harris Administration.
For many years US Hwy 395, the major north-south route on the east side of the Sierra Nevada, was a charging desert. Electrify America finally made EV travel possible by installing a limited network of DCFC stations at Coso Junction and Bishop. ChargePoint added a much needed station at Brady’s on the south and Caltrans District 9 added several 50 kW stations at its roadside rest stops.
As of fall 2024 there were only two NEMA 14-50 plugs available to charge EVs in Independence, and one Caltrans DCFC 50 kW station at the Division Creek Safety Roadside Rest Area 11 miles north of Independence.
With the reliability of the Caltrans and EA stations always in doubt, the addition of a charging hub at the Fort Independence Travel Plaza will make EV travel to and from the ski resorts at Mammoth Lakes and the east entrance to Yosemite National Park less stressful.
