Driving an electric vehicle (EV) can feel like playing a game of connect-the-dots, where the dots are charging stations. The more dots on the map, the easier—and less stressful—the game becomes.
In Tennessee the dots are multiplying, and Knoxville is helping to connect them. Last week we shared that Knoxville has become the state’s first “Charging Smart” city. Today, we’re zooming in on one downtown charging station in particular—and why it’s a big deal.
First, the lay of the land: Knoxville currently offers 40 public EV chargers in 14 City-owned parking garages, parks, and municipal buildings, many of them clustered around downtown. An additional 30 are being added to the City County Building garage to serve the city’s fleet of 40 electric vehicles.
A quick breakdown of charger levels:
- Level 1: Like plugging into a standard home outlet—extremely slow
- Level 2: Uses a dryer-type outlet—faster but still takes hours.
- Level 3 (Fast Charging): Provides a near-full charge in 30 minutes to an hour.
Until recently, all downtown charging options were Level 2. That’s fine if you’re working downtown or out to dinner-and-a-movie. But for road trippers or busy commuters, waiting hours isn’t ideal.
In October, KUB, in partnership with the City of Knoxville, brought downtown’s first-ever Level 3 fast-charging station online. Located on S. Central Street, caddy corner from State Street Garage, this station features eight charging ports across four parking spaces. It’s the third of its kind in Knox County, with the other two located along I-40. KUB also installed a second fast-charging station in Seymour.
“Any driver can use them—they don’t have to be a KUB customer,” explains Chasity Hobby, KUB’s environmental stewardship manager. “They pay 40 cents per kilowatt hour, and it charges their vehicle very quickly. So it’s great if you’re traveling or you’re out and about and just need to top off, or you don’t have access to charging at home.”
These stations were funded through TVA and TDEC’s Fast Charge Tennessee Network, which aims to install fast chargers every 50 miles along the state’s major highways. The downtown and Seymour chargers are the 99th and 100th stations in the network, closing critical gaps along I-75 and Route 441.
“For instance, there was a 50-mile gap on I-75, and our Central Street charger closes that,” Hobby says. “The Seymour station addresses a gap on Chapman Highway, serving travelers heading toward the mountains. This kind of infrastructure reduces range anxiety for EV drivers.”
Charger-locator tools like PlugShare, DOE Alternative Fueling Station Locator, TVA EnergyRight and ChargeHub are helping ensure that even the most planning-impaired EV drivers can “connect the dots.”
For travelers passing through Knoxville, the downtown station is a solid upgrade from your typical highway pit stop. Instead of killing time at a Walmart or Flying J, you can plug in, stretch your legs, and grab some lunch or an ice cream cone. It’s a small thing, but it ties into the city’s larger tourist ambitions. Every person who charges downtown gets a chance to notice the local spots—and maybe think about sticking around a little longer next time.
Since October, the downtown station has provided about 530 charges. While KUB doesn’t track user demographics, feedback has been positive from both local drivers and those passing through. “One traveler commented that this is the best fast charger between D.C. and Flagstaff,” Hobby shares.
Hobby says the chargers are part of KUB’s broader strategy to meet evolving energy needs and promote sustainability. According to Drive Electric TN, there were 45,340 EVs on the road as of September 2024, with 2,383 public charging spots available statewide. The goal: 200,000 EVs by 2028. Meeting that target means charger density will need to rise to the occasion.
“We want to make sure that we’re supporting our customers with their energy needs, whether they prefer to drive a gas vehicle or they want to use electric energy,” Hobby says. “EVs are a great way to support sustainability. You’re able to reduce tailpipe emissions, and that’s something everyone in the community benefits from.”
According to TVA, EVs on the Tennessee Valley roads cut nearly 1 million metric tons of carbon emissions annually—the same amount absorbed by 1 million acres of U.S. forests each year. EVs also reinvest $120 million into the region’s economy annually and save drivers up to $1,000 per year on fuel and maintenance.
KUB is helping to make EV adoption easier and more cost-effective through initiatives like its partnership with EMPOWER, which offers $2,000 in technical assistance to workplaces adding EV charging infrastructure. For residents, managed charging programs encourage charging overnight or during cleaner grid times, making at-home charging more affordable.
Hobby says, “All of those things fit together to help with a more sophisticated grid and give consumers control, letting them structure their energy use in a way that fits their lifestyle and needs.”