It will soon be easier to charge up and explore the area if you drive an electric vehicle in Door County. Gov. Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation announced that 42 locations, including one in Sturgeon Bay, will receive grants to build fast, reliable electric vehicle charging stations across Wisconsin.

The awards are part of $25 million in funding from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program, which was created through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

“From the start, we’ve planned an EV charging station network that will benefit both EV drivers and Wisconsin communities. The stations provide fast charging at convenient locations where drivers can also take care of other errands while charging up,” WisDOT Secretary Kristina Boardman said.

For Sturgeon Bay drivers, the new charging station will be located at the Kwik Trip near the intersection of State Highway 42/57 and Duluth Avenue. The investment of more than $436,000 was welcome news for Destination Door County President and CEO Jon Jarosh, especially with the area being a cul-de-sac of sorts for motorists. He says it is a step forward compared with many of the charging stations in the county, which are approximately 10 years old and feature slower Level 1 and Level 2 chargers.

Jarosh adds that Destination Door County still offers businesses up to $1,000 in reimbursement for electric vehicle charging station installation costs through its mini-grant program.

To date, WisDOT has awarded approximately $62 million through three rounds of funding to support 120 projects throughout Wisconsin. Previous grants supported charging station projects at businesses along the state’s Alternative Fuel Corridor system. The network is designed to serve more than 43,200 electric vehicles registered in Wisconsin, as well as travelers and visitors. Twenty-five stations funded through the program are currently operational.