As electric vehicles (EVs) continue to dominate headlines and sales charts, property owners situated along highway corridors find themselves at a unique crossroads—quite literally. With growing demand for high-speed charging and an increasing flow of EV drivers on long-distance routes, highway-adjacent properties are prime real estate for EV infrastructure. The question isn’t if you should consider EV charging—it’s how to make the most of the opportunity.

Think Fast: Prioritize High-Powered DC Fast Chargers

EV drivers stopping along highways are fundamentally different from urban users. They’re in transit, not staying for hours. That makes DC fast chargers (DCFC) the essential tool for serving highway demand. These chargers can power up most EVs from 10% to 80% in just 20 to 40 minutes—far faster than Level 2 chargers, which are better suited for destinations like hotels or workplaces where dwell time exceeds a few hours.

But it’s not just about installing any DCFC. High-powered units—often rated above 150 kW and more routinely above 300 kW —are increasingly preferred as battery technologies advance and charging speeds increase. By investing in higher-capacity hardware now, you future-proof your site, improve throughput, and provide a better user experience that matches driver expectations.

Dwell Time Defines Design: Match Amenities to 20–40 Minute Stops

Understanding dwell time is key to designing the right EV experience. On highway routes, drivers typically want a short, efficient break—just enough time to grab a bite, stretch their legs, and get back on the road.

This makes quick-serve amenities the cornerstone of a competitive EV charging site. Think:

  • Fast food or quick-service restaurants
  • Clean and accessible restrooms
  • Convenience stores or grab-and-go snacks
  • Shaded seating or green space for pets and families
  • Wi-Fi and mobile connectivity

A charging station with no supporting amenities is simply a transaction. A well-rounded stop with essential services transforms that transaction into a satisfying customer experience, leading to increased return visits and greater charger utilization.

Understand the Market: Let Growth Data Guide Your Strategy

The EV market isn’t a guessing game—it’s a data-driven opportunity. National, regional, and utility-level forecasts all point to massive growth in EV adoption over the next decade, and highway corridors are projected to see exponential increases in long-distance EV travel. Using Asset Market to gain these insights for your site is key.

For property owners, this growth creates two distinct strategic paths:

  1. Invest in Your Own Charging Station a. By owning the infrastructure, you can control the revenue model, bundle it with other site services, and build long-term equity in a growing sector. b. But ownership also means capital investment, permitting, utility coordination, maintenance, and software management.
  2. Partner with a Charge Point Operator (CPO) a. Instead of owning the station, you market your site to a CPO who installs and operates chargers on your property. b. This approach reduces your upfront costs and leverages the operator’s expertise, but also limits your share of long-term revenue.

Which route is best depends on your tolerance for capital outlay, your access to incentives or grants, and your ability to support future expansion.

Right-Sizing Is Critical—Don’t Underbuild or Overbuild

Whether you're self-funding or partnering with a CPO, understanding utilization projections helps you avoid the common pitfall of misalignment between infrastructure and demand.

  • A site with too few chargers creates bottlenecks and a poor driver experience.
  • A site with too many chargers too soon risks underutilization and poor ROI.

Start by asking:

  • What’s the current and projected EV traffic volume on this corridor?
  • How many chargers will meet demand in the next 3–5 years?
  • Can I design the site to expand easily as utilization increases?

Most successful highway charging sites begin with 4 to 6 high-powered DCFC ports and plan for scalable expansion to 8 or 12 ports, depending on corridor traffic and proximity to major interchanges or destinations.

Final Thoughts: Make Your Property a Must-Stop, Not a Maybe

EV charging is not just a utility—it’s an experience. For highway property owners, the opportunity lies in delivering a reliable, convenient, and comfortable stop that fits naturally into a 30-minute break.

By prioritizing high-speed DCFC infrastructure, aligning site amenities with driver dwell times, and leveraging market data to guide your investment or partnership strategy, you turn your property from a passive roadside lot into a strategic node in the electric mobility ecosystem.

The road to EV readiness is open—and your property could be the next must-stop destination along it.