The US public fast-charging network continued to grow in the second quarter of 2026, but a new report suggests the industry is shifting gears. The focus is no longer just on installing as many chargers as possible – it’s increasingly about reliability, customer experience, and building a profitable business.
According to EV charging data platform Paren‘s just-released Q2 2026 State of the EV Charging Industry report, EV drivers are benefiting from a charging network that’s expanding fast enough to keep up with the growing number of EVs on the road. Charging sessions jumped 29% year over year, showing that drivers are putting the new infrastructure to work almost as quickly as it’s being built.
But for charging companies, the picture is more complicated.
Charger deployment is still growing, but more slowly
The US added 4,382 new public DC fast charging ports in Q2 2026, down 10% from the 4,865 installed during the same quarter last year. Through the first half of 2026, 7,903 new ports came online, compared to 8,532 during the first half of 2025 – a 7.4% decline.
