A new EV charging hub is coming to Duncan this summer, bringing 16 hyperfast chargers near Interstate 85 and S.C. 101.
Renovo Energy, a Greenville-based energy efficiency company, is spearheading the project. Company officials said the hub will be the largest along I-85, giving drivers a convenient stop between Charlotte, North Carolina, and Atlanta.
“What we’re trying to do is build a reliable electric vehicle charging hub for the Upstate,” said Austin Lawrence, owner and CEO of Renovo Energy. “Electric vehicles are getting better and better each day, and we need to be able to support that with the infrastructure here — not only in the Upstate, but in the Southeast.”
The Renovo team broke ground on the site a few weeks ago and expects it to be ready for use by mid-summer. In addition to the 16 hyperfast chargers, high-speed chargers designed to charge a vehicle in minutes, the hub will have pull-through charging lanes for medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicles. There will also be some retail space on the corner of the property, though the tenant has not yet been announced.
Officials said some of the team’s biggest concerns are energy efficiency and ensuring the site is well-maintained. Renovo plans to manage the site post-construction, as well as incorporate some of its other products into the site plan. The hub will feature solar-powered lighting manufactured by the Renovo team.
“Not only will it be one of the largest EV hubs in the Southeast and the largest on 85, but it will also be as energy efficient as possible by utilizing some of our other technologies,” said Brian Lawrence, chief operating officer of Renovo Energy.
One unique aspect of the project is that it is being funded and constructed by local companies. Renovo Energy is based in Greenville, and GammaCharge, the main financial partner, is based in Greer.
“This whole project, even at its scale, is all being done by local people,” said Brian Lawrence. “It’s all local people producing one of the biggest hubs in the Southeast.”
The site is meant to be the first of multiple EV charging hubs in the region. The team hopes to eventually have a second project phase with 16 additional hyperfast chargers, bringing the total to 32.
The new charging hub will be located near the intersection of I-85 and S.C. 101, close to the QuikTrip. For more information on Renovo Energy or its projects, visit https://www.renovoenergy.org/.
