Arkansas Builds Out EV Charging Network Along Major Highways

New fast-charging stations are going up along Arkansas highways, part of an effort to ease range anxiety and support a slow but steady rise in electric vehicles on the state's roads.

The buildout, backed by federal funding and private investment, targets major travel corridors where a lack of chargers has made long trips difficult for EV drivers. Officials said reliable charging along interstates is essential to making electric vehicles practical for more Arkansans.

EV adoption in the state trails the national average, but it is growing, particularly in urban areas. Auto dealers said interest rises as more affordable models reach the market and as charging becomes easier to find.

Skeptics have questioned the pace of the transition and the cost of the infrastructure. Supporters countered that building the charging network now is necessary to avoid a chicken-and-egg problem, in which drivers avoid EVs for lack of chargers and chargers go unbuilt for lack of drivers.