“Transforming I-5 with cleaner
and smarter transportation"
The Oil-Free Way©
See a map and overview (pdf 5.82 mb) of the West Coast Electric Highway spanning the 585 miles of Interstate 5 from the Canadian border to the California border.
The Washington State Department of Transportation and partner AeroVironment are opening electric vehicle charging stations along Washington’s West Coast Electric Highway (pdf 5.82 mb) soon. Grand Opening events are planned at EV charging sites in Blaine, Bellingham, and Burlington on May 30. To attend a ribbon-cutting event, please RSVP at http://westcoastelectrichighway.eventbrite.com/
The “West Coast Electric Highway” is an extensive, tri-state network of electric vehicle (EV) DC fast charging stations along Interstate 5. When complete, the Electric Highway will span the 1,300 miles from the Canadian border to the California border and with public fast charging locations every 25-60 miles.
The fast charge technology along the Electric Highway allows drivers to re-charge mass-produced electric vehicles such as the Nissan Leaf and Mitsubishi “i MiEV” in 30 minutes or less. Each location also includes Level 2 equipment to re-charge other plug in electric vehicles such as the Ford Focus and Chevrolet Volt.
The West Coast Electric Highway connects electric vehicle drivers with fast charging between EV-friendly communities along Interstate 5. The initiative complements The EV Project, a $230 million US Department of Energy project to deploy electric vehicle charging infrastructure in six states including Washington, Oregon, and California. Located at strategic points along Interstate 5, the stations provide a backbone for EV charging along the corridor connecting cities with robust EV charging such as Vancouver, British Columbia, Seattle, and Portland.
State Departments of Transportation are collaborating on the West Coast Electric Highway. The Washington State Department of Transportation leads the charge on the Washington segment and the Oregon Department of Transportation leads the charge on the Oregon segment.
At the end of 2012, when the combined projects are complete, the West Coast will have the nation’s longest and most robust charging network with thousands of Level 2 charging pedestals and more than 100 DC fast chargers.
Electric vehicle drivers will find convenient re-charging locations along the major roadways where they can refuel their cars in just 20-30 minutes and get back on the road. Drivers will be able grab a cup of coffee or shop while they charge up at places such as shopping centers, fueling stations and restaurants within a half mile of highway interchanges.
There are many websites and mobile applications with lists and maps of charging locations. See our stations Web page for information on charging locations and paying for your charge.
Look for this Electric Vehicle Charging symbol along the highway.
The network of electric vehicle charging stations supports the development of a regional EV network spreading across the entire 1,350 miles of I-5 connecting three states and three countries and serving the 2 million electric vehicles anticipated by 2020 on the west coast. The project was developed as part of the West Coast Green Highway, an initiative to promote the use of cleaner fuels along I-5 from British Columbia to Baja California.
The Electric Highway gives electric vehicle drivers “range confidence” that recharging is available should they want to travel between communities or make long distance road trips. Knowing that charging is easy and convenient helps encourage residents and businesses to buy and drive plug-in electric vehicles. Increasing the market demand for electric vehicles helps reduce the transportation sector's impact upon the environment and dependency on foreign oil. By setting the stage for the EV industry to thrive in a clean economy, the Electric Highway helps spur industry growth and new jobs.
Read Electric Highways Project Frequently Asked Questions
Send an email to: info@westcoastgreenhighway.com
Subscribe to the charging network and get a personal key fob to access the West Coast Electric Highway stations.
*Safety Rest Area with Level 2 EVSE only, no DC fast charge.
**ECOtality Blink Station through The EV Project.
