Nearly 100 Attend Grand Opening of New EV Fast-Charging Station in Manchester

Representatives from across the United States and around the world gathered in Manchester on Friday to celebrate the grand opening of a new high-performance electric vehicle charging station, marking another milestone in the city's growing role as a transportation hub.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony, hosted by PowerUp America and Kempower, drew nearly 100 attendees, including industry leaders, government officials and guests from multiple states. Among those attending was a couple who traveled from Finland to participate in the celebration, underscoring the international significance of the project.

Located at 425 Ky. 80, the new charging site features four Kempower Flex Satellites equipped with both NACS and CCS1 connectors and up to 800 kilowatts of available charging power. The station includes covered charging bays and pull-through accessibility, allowing a variety of electric vehicles to charge comfortably and efficiently.

The Manchester location is the first of 12 charging projects being developed through a partnership between PowerUp America and Kempower. Eleven additional sites are currently under development in Georgia as the companies continue expanding reliable fast-charging infrastructure throughout the Southeast.

Monil Malhotra, president of Kempower North America, said dependable charging infrastructure is essential to making electric vehicle ownership practical for more drivers.

"Reliable, user-friendly charging infrastructure plays an important role in making EV ownership accessible for more drivers," Malhotra said. "As we celebrate the launch of PowerUp's new site in Kentucky, we look forward to continuing to expand access to fast-charging solutions designed with the driver in mind across a critical region for EV adoption."

PowerUp America CEO Josh Turner said the Manchester site represents the type of infrastructure the company hopes to build across the country.

"This site represents far more than another place to charge," Turner said. "It demonstrates what EV infrastructure should look like when reliability, safety and the driver experience come first. We are grateful to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the Manchester community for their partnership."

Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, guests attended a reception at Manchester Distillery, where attendees had an opportunity to network and celebrate the successful completion of the project.

The new charging station is open to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week, providing both local drivers and travelers with convenient access to high-speed electric vehicle charging while further establishing Manchester as a destination along the region's growing EV corridor.