Kempower has opened downtown Durham, North Carolina’s first public DC fast-charging station, marking a milestone for local EV infrastructure. The station, located at 111 W. Chapel Hill Street, is operated in partnership with National Car Charging and features two connectors—CCS1 and CHAdeMO—near restaurants, retail, and other downtown amenities.
Although the area has long offered numerous Level 2 chargers, this is the first DC fast charger in the city center. Until now, EV drivers needed to travel about three miles outside downtown for the nearest fast-charging option. Kempower did not disclose the unit’s peak charging output, but a recent PlugShare report recorded a Ford F-150 Lightning charging at 171 kW at the site.
A spokesperson for the City of Durham said the delay in deploying a downtown fast charger came down to infrastructure challenges. The downtown area is “densely developed,” and there are limited locations with both the physical space and available electrical capacity needed to host a commercially viable DC fast-charging station.
Durham Mayor Leonardo Williams said the project supports both sustainability and the local economy. “With this locally built EV fast charger in the heart of downtown, we’re not only reducing our community’s carbon footprint – we’re supporting local jobs, clean energy, and a more connected future for everyone who calls Durham home,” he said.
As of 2025, North Carolina had more than 306 DC fast-charging stations offering 1,385 ports, reflecting the state’s accelerating investment in EV infrastructure.
