CHAEVI to expand EV charging across Korean highways
South Korea’s leading charging operator plans to install 131 new fast chargers at 29 highway service areas, including 82 NACS-compatible units designed to improve long-distance travel for Tesla drivers.
CHAEVI has been selected as the preferred bidder for South Korea’s 2026 highway electric vehicle (EV) charging station deployment project, a move that will further expand fast-charging infrastructure across the country’s motorway network.
The company plans to install 131 chargers at 29 highway service areas following negotiations and contract finalization with the Korea Expressway Corporation. The rollout includes 118 fast chargers rated at 200 kW and 13 multi-chargers across key regions including Seoul, Gyeonggi, Gangwon, Chungcheong, Jeolla, Gyeongsang and Busan.
A significant portion of the deployment will focus on improving charging access for Tesla drivers. Of the new 200-kW chargers, 82 will feature North American Charging Standard (NACS) connectors. Combined with installations from a previous highway charging project, CHAEVI expects to operate a total of 167 NACS-equipped chargers at highway rest stops.
The company said the 200-kW chargers support charging currents of up to 250A, enabling compatible vehicles to make better use of available charging performance while reducing charging times compared with lower-current systems.
The network will also support the company’s Plug & Charge service, which enables automatic vehicle authentication, charging and payment without requiring users to open an app or tap a membership card.
CHAEVI currently operates and manages around 10,000 fast-charging points in South Korea and continues to expand its infrastructure portfolio alongside investments in next-generation charging technologies, including megawatt charging systems and AI-powered charging services.
