EV Charging in Tennessee
Tennessee has no state EV purchase rebate. TVA partner utilities offer DCFC rebates up to $150,000 per station for corridor gap filling. Local utility rebates for residential Level 2 chargers are modest ($50). Nashville and Chattanooga are Tennessee's main EV markets.
Last updated June 2026
EV Charging Snapshot
Developing- EV Adoption Rate
- 4.0%
- Public Chargers
- 1,118
- Top Incentive
- TVA Partner DCFC Corridor Grant, up to $150,000 per station
What applies to your address?
Enter your ZIP code to see your electric utility, county, and the most relevant EV charging programs.
We don't store or log ZIP codes.
EV adoption snapshot
Utilities serving Tennessee
Utility coverage for Tennessee is being expanded. Major utility pages will appear here as they ship.
Residential Incentives
Federal EV Charger Tax Credit (30C)
Up to $1,000 (30% of equipment and installation)
Residential charging equipment placed in service through June 30, 2026 at a home located in an eligible non-urban or low-income census tract. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (July 2025) confirmed the June 30, 2026 sunset.
Apply / learn more →EPB (Chattanooga) Level 2 Charger Rebate
$50 bill credit
EPB residential customers in the Chattanooga service area who install a qualifying Level 2 EV charger. EPB also offers a Night Shift residential TOU rate plan with a lower off-peak rate for overnight EV charging.
Apply / learn more →Middle Tennessee Electric EV Ready Rebate
$50 bill credit
Middle Tennessee Electric residential customers who install a qualifying Level 2 EV charger at home.
Apply / learn more →Commercial & Property Owner Incentives
TVA Partner DCFC Corridor Grant (Fast Charge TN Network)
Up to $150,000 per DC fast charger (150 kW or greater)
TVA Local Power Companies and their site host partners installing publicly accessible DC fast chargers (two to four ports per site) in corridor gap locations along prioritized Tennessee routes.
Apply / learn more →TDEC Fast Charge TN Network Grant (VW Settlement, Round 2)
$2.8 million pool, awards cover eligible project costs for DCFC sites
Local power companies, for-profit and non-profit organizations, and government entities (including local governments and public higher education institutions) based in Tennessee, deploying public DC fast charging at least every 50 miles along prioritized corridors. Round 2 solicitation released July 2025; future rounds expected.
Apply / learn more →Federal EV Charger Tax Credit (30C) - Commercial
Up to $100,000 per charging port (30% of equipment and installation)
Business or tax-exempt entity placing depreciable EV charging property in service through June 30, 2026 at a site in an eligible non-urban or low-income census tract. Prevailing wage and apprenticeship rules apply to claim the full credit.
Apply / learn more →NEVI Formula Program (Tennessee Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Plan)
Up to 80% of project costs
DC fast charging deployment along Tennessee's designated Alternative Fuel Corridors (I-40, I-75, I-65, I-24, I-81). The FY 2026 TEVI Plan was approved by FHWA in September 2025; Tennessee was awarded approximately $88 million across the five-year NEVI program.
Apply / learn more →Policy details
EV time-of-use rates
rareTennessee has no investor-owned electric utility. TVA generates and transmits power and roughly 153 local power companies (LPCs) distribute it under retail rates each LPC sets. Most LPCs use flat residential rates; Nashville Electric Service has run a residential TOU pilot, but EV-specific TOU is not broadly available across the state.
Net metering / solar+EV
noneTennessee has no statewide net metering policy. TVA generates and transmits power; roughly 153 local power companies distribute electricity at retail and set their own rates. The voluntary TVA Green Power Providers program closed to new applicants in 2019, after which TVA has supported customer-sited distributed generation through pilots such as the Distributed Solar Solutions program and the Flexibility Research Project, which compensate exports at TVA's avoided cost rather than the retail rate. Participation by individual local power companies remains optional.
Right to charge
No statewide statuteTennessee has no right-to-charge statute. HOAs and condominium associations may lawfully restrict or prohibit EV charging station installation, subject only to general architectural-review obligations under the governing documents.
EV registration fees
Tennessee raised the BEV registration fee from $100 to $200 effective January 1, 2024 under the Transportation Modernization Act of 2023 (Public Chapter 455). The same act schedules further increases and indexes the fee to inflation in later years.
EV: $200/year
PHEV: $100/year
Public charging network
Tesla Supercharger, ChargePoint, and Blink are active. Nashville and Memphis have the highest charger density. I-40 (the primary east-west corridor) is well-covered. I-65 (Nashville to Alabama) and I-75 (Chattanooga to Georgia) are NEVI targets. Rural Tennessee has limited coverage between major cities.
Station-network counts for Tennessee will appear here once the next AFDC ingest runs.
Regulatory Environment
Tennessee has no ZEV mandate and no state EV purchase rebate. The state has generally resisted California-aligned EV policy. Tennessee is home to significant automotive manufacturing (VW in Chattanooga, GM's Spring Hill plant, Nissan in Smyrna, and Ford's BlueOval City in Stanton), although Ford's site has been redirected toward gas-powered trucks with electric truck production pushed to 2029 or later. TDOT administers NEVI corridor funds through the Tennessee Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (TEVI) Plan, which was approved by FHWA for FY 2026 in September 2025. TVA's regional electricity distribution model makes it the dominant force in Tennessee's commercial EV charging infrastructure investment, with TDEC and TVA jointly running the Fast Charge TN Network. In January 2026, Tennessee legislators introduced a bill that would impose a $0.03 per kWh tax on public DC fast chargers of 20 kW or larger; residential chargers would be exempt.
Sources
- EIA Form 861Retrieved May 2026
- NREL Alternative Fuels Data CenterRetrieved May 2026
Free guide
The Complete Homeowner's Guide to EV Charging
From figuring out if you need a charger to picking the right one and getting it installed — a single resource that covers everything.
- Do you actually need a Level 2 charger?
- Choosing between brands and models
- Installation costs, permits, and timelines
- Federal tax credit and state incentives
Free — just your email address.
Free guide
The Property Owner's Guide to Commercial EV Charging
A practical playbook for evaluating, planning, and operating EV charging — including the funding programs that can cover most of the cost.
- Site selection and electrical assessment
- Federal programs: NEVI, CFI, IRA tax credits
- Realistic ROI modeling and payback periods
- Operating models and software platforms
Free — just your email address.
The Weekly EV Charging Briefing
One email a week. Just EV news that matters.
By subscribing you agree to our Privacy Policy. Unsubscribe any time.