The electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure in the US is on the rise, despite uncertainties surrounding federal EV charging policies. A recent report from EV charging data firm Paren indicates that 2025 is set to be a record-breaking year for DC fast charger deployment. The report, titled “State of the Industry Report: US EV Fast Charging – Q2 2025”, predicts a 19% year-over-year increase in port installations, equating to 16,700 new fast charging ports. This growth is on top of the record-breaking year experienced in 2024.
In the second quarter of 2025, 4,242 new DC fast charging ports were activated, bringing the total number to 59,694 – a 23% increase. It is worth noting that while the NEVI funding may have been pulled by the Trump administration, many projects were already in progress. Paren expects this momentum to continue throughout the rest of the year. Additionally, NEVI chargers represent only a small percentage of the new DC fast chargers being deployed in 2025.
Loren McDonald, chief analyst at Paren, commented, “2025 is going to be a record year for deployment of DC fast charging ports – and 2024 was already the highest year on record. Charging 2.0 players are deploying new – and larger – stations at a breakneck pace.”
The industry is moving towards larger fast-charging hubs with 8, 10, 12, or more ports, equipped with high-powered hardware that supports faster charging and higher throughput. The reliability of charging stations is also improving, with Paren’s U.S. Reliability Index showing a 5.3% year-over-year increase as older chargers are replaced with more robust stations.
Despite a slight dip in national average utilization to 16.1% in Q2, pricing for fast charging has become slightly more affordable. The national average price per kilowatt-hour dropped to $0.48, down from $0.50 in Q1, as more stations transitioned to time-of-use pricing models. However, pricing adjustments were observed in nearly a third of stations in Q2, with some prices increasing in California.
Paren suggests that the EV charging industry is entering a new phase dubbed “Charging 2.0”, where scale, speed, and customer experience are driving the next wave of deployment. While federal incentives may be scaling back, private investments are increasing to support the growth of EV charging infrastructure.
Heiko Schmidt, VP of network strategy & consumer offering at Mercedes-Benz HPC North America, emphasized the importance of delivering a strong customer experience to earn long-term loyalty from EV drivers.
In conclusion, the EV charging industry in the US is experiencing significant growth and development, with 2025 poised to be a landmark year for DC fast charger deployment. The shift towards larger, more efficient charging stations and improved reliability signals a positive trajectory for the industry’s future.
