Introduction

The EV charging industry is moving fast this week with major developments on federal funding, network expansion, ultra-fast charging performance, and battery technology that together signal a market accelerating despite political headwinds in Washington. Michigan has just received Federal Highway Administration approval to deploy the remaining $51 million of its NEVI program allocation, providing a high-profile counterexample to the federal cuts proposed earlier this month. EVgo has confirmed plans to deploy more than 500 NACS connectors across 25 states by year-end, marking the most aggressive non-Tesla NACS rollout to date. New testing data shows the 2026 Lucid Gravity GT achieving 419 kilowatts of peak charging power at a 500-kilowatt Tesla V4 Supercharger, validating the V4 platform's real-world performance with high-voltage vehicles. Stellantis and Factorial Energy have validated automotive-sized solid-state battery cells capable of charging from 15 to 90 percent in just 18 minutes, and Hyundai used the 2026 New York Auto Show to unveil the Boulder concept that will become a production EV in 2029. For Los Angeles property owners and businesses planning EV charger installations, these developments reinforce the value of working with a licensed electrical contractor like Shaffer Construction, Inc. to design infrastructure that takes full advantage of the rapidly evolving charging hardware landscape.

Michigan Unlocks $51 Million in NEVI Funding to Close EV Charging Gaps

In a significant counterpoint to recent federal proposals to cut EV charging program funding, the Michigan Department of Transportation announced yesterday that the Federal Highway Administration has officially approved the state's Fiscal Year 2026 Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Deployment Plan, unlocking the remaining $51 million in NEVI formula funds for deployment. As Electrek reported on the Michigan NEVI approval, the funding will accelerate fast charging deployment along underserved corridors and is part of the state's total $106 million NEVI allocation. MDOT is preparing for a third application round designed to give every Michigan community the opportunity to host NEVI-funded charging infrastructure, with priorities including geographic gap closure, medium-duty fleet support, charger reliability improvements, and equitable access.

The Michigan announcement is significant for the broader Los Angeles charging market because it demonstrates that federal NEVI funding remains technically viable even as the political conversation around the program intensifies. As we covered when reporting on the Trump administration's proposed $4.2 billion NEVI cuts and the recent court ruling that reopened frozen NEVI funds, the federal charging infrastructure picture remains in flux but state-level deployment continues to advance. For Los Angeles commercial property owners, the lesson is that public charging buildout cannot be relied upon as the sole or primary source of charging access for tenants, employees, and customers. Investing in on-site charging infrastructure now ensures your property serves the growing EV driver population regardless of how federal policy evolves over the coming years.

EVgo Targets More Than 500 NACS Connectors Across 25 States in 2026

EVgo, the third-largest DC fast charging network in the United States, has reaffirmed plans to deploy more than 500 native NACS connectors across its network by the end of 2026, building on the nearly 100 NACS stalls already operational across 22 metropolitan areas. As Charged EVs reported on the EVgo NACS expansion, the company plans to deploy additional NACS stalls in key markets including Austin, Houston, Las Vegas, Orlando, Phoenix, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, and San Francisco, with NACS charging available in more than 25 states by year-end. EVgo expects more than 80 percent of new EVs sold in North America will be NACS-compatible by 2030, making the connector standard transition one of the defining infrastructure shifts of the decade.

The NACS connector standardization has direct implications for Los Angeles property owners evaluating commercial charging installations today. Selecting hardware with NACS connectivity, whether through native NACS ports or dual CCS-NACS configurations, ensures that on-site charging serves the broadest possible population of current and future EV drivers. As we covered when Tesla expanded V4 Supercharger access to Stellantis vehicles and the broader NACS-equipped EV market, the industry is converging rapidly on a single connector standard. Shaffer Construction helps Los Angeles commercial and residential clients select charging hardware from established manufacturers offering NACS-ready products, ensuring installations remain compatible with the vehicles arriving in dealer showrooms over the next several years.

Lucid Gravity GT Hits 419 Kilowatts at Tesla V4 Supercharger in Real-World Test

The performance promise of Tesla's new V4 Supercharger platform has been validated in dramatic fashion by the 2026 Lucid Gravity GT, which achieved a peak charging rate of 419 kilowatts during real-world testing at one of the country's first true 500-kilowatt V4 Supercharger sites in California. As EVChargingStations.com reported on the Lucid Gravity V4 charging analysis, the V4 hardware delivered the highest peak power of any charger tested, outperforming three other high-power charging stations that delivered between 375 and 401 kilowatts. The Lucid Gravity's 926-volt electrical architecture allowed it to take full advantage of the V4 platform's higher voltage delivery, achieving a 10 to 80 percent state-of-charge replenishment time of approximately 24 minutes and delivering range at a rate of up to 25 miles per minute of charging.

For Los Angeles commercial property owners considering DC fast charging installations, the Lucid Gravity test results demonstrate why electrical infrastructure design matters as much as hardware selection. Capturing the full 419-kilowatt capability of a V4 Supercharger requires service entrances, transformers, and switchgear sized to deliver that power consistently, and high-voltage vehicle charging architectures will only become more common as automakers including Hyundai, Kia, Porsche, BMW, and others adopt 800-volt or higher platforms. Shaffer Construction designs commercial DC fast charging installations with appropriate electrical capacity and redundancy to support the highest-performing vehicles and the most demanding charging hardware available today and over the next several years.

Stellantis and Factorial Energy Validate Solid-State Cells With 18-Minute Fast Charging

Battery technology continues its rapid march toward commercial viability with Stellantis and Factorial Energy announcing successful validation of automotive-sized FEST solid-state battery cells, demonstrating fast charging capability from 15 percent to 90 percent state of charge in just 18 minutes. As Stellantis announced the FEST solid-state milestone, the validated cells operate reliably across a temperature range from negative 30 degrees Celsius to positive 45 degrees Celsius, addressing one of the long-standing concerns about solid-state battery performance in extreme operating environments. Stellantis is advancing its previously announced plan to integrate Factorial's solid-state batteries into a demonstration fleet during 2026, putting the technology on a path toward broader commercial deployment in the latter half of the decade.

The Stellantis-Factorial milestone joins yesterday's coverage of Donut Lab's production-ready solid-state battery achieving five-minute full recharges as evidence that solid-state cell technology is moving from research labs to production vehicles faster than many industry observers predicted. For Los Angeles property owners, the practical implication is that charging hardware deployed today should ideally be supported by electrical infrastructure capable of supporting higher power levels as solid-state battery vehicles arrive and demand faster charging speeds. Shaffer Construction provides comprehensive electrical engineering services that consider not just current charging hardware specifications but the realistic upgrade paths that property owners will want to take over the next five to ten years.

Hyundai Unveils Boulder Concept at 2026 New York Auto Show as EV Lineup Expands

Hyundai used the 2026 New York International Auto Show to mark its 40th anniversary in the U.S. market by unveiling the Boulder concept, an electric SUV that will reach production by 2029 and will join an already expanding Hyundai EV lineup that includes the IONIQ 5, IONIQ 6, IONIQ 9, and the Kona Electric. As Engadget reported on the New York Auto Show EV debuts, the show also featured Subaru's new three-row Trailseeker EV SUV built on the same platform as Toyota's Highlander EV, alongside additional reveals from Kia and other manufacturers. The breadth of new electric vehicles announced at the 2026 New York Auto Show reinforces that automakers are continuing to invest in expanding their EV product lines despite the loss of federal tax credits and the broader political uncertainty surrounding the industry.

For Los Angeles, where Hyundai and Kia have built strong dealer networks and where the IONIQ and EV lineup already represents a significant share of new EV sales, the expansion of model offerings translates directly into growing demand for both residential and commercial charging infrastructure. New EV owners need reliable home charging access to maximize the convenience and economic benefits of electric vehicle ownership, and apartment dwellers, condominium residents, and employees of LA businesses increasingly expect on-site charging as a standard amenity. Shaffer Construction provides expert residential EV charger installation services across Los Angeles, helping homeowners select appropriate Level 2 charging hardware, complete necessary panel upgrades, capture available LADWP rebates, and integrate charging into their home electrical systems with professional design and code-compliant installation.

Conclusion

This week's developments paint a clear picture of an EV charging industry moving forward on multiple fronts even as federal policy remains uncertain. Michigan's $51 million NEVI deployment shows that state-level execution of federal funds continues, EVgo's 500-NACS-connector expansion demonstrates aggressive private network growth, and the Lucid Gravity's 419-kilowatt charging performance validates the next generation of ultra-fast charging hardware. Stellantis and Factorial's solid-state battery validation joins Donut Lab's production-ready cells in showing that battery technology is advancing toward commercial deployment faster than many predicted, and Hyundai's Boulder concept and the broader 2026 New York Auto Show EV reveals confirm that automakers are continuing to expand their electric product lines. For Los Angeles property owners, the consistent message is that EV charging demand will continue growing regardless of federal policy direction, and properties with well-designed, professionally installed charging infrastructure will be best positioned to serve the expanding EV driver population.

Ready to install EV charging infrastructure that meets the growing demand from electric vehicle drivers across Los Angeles? Shaffer Construction, Inc. provides expert design, permitting, and installation services for residential and commercial charging systems, electrical load studies, and complete project management that helps you capture available incentives including the federal 30C tax credit and LADWP rebates before their respective deadlines.

Shaffer Construction, Inc.
325 N Larchmont Blvd. #202
Los Angeles, CA 90004
Phone: (323) 642-8509
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Website: shaffercon.com