Optimus Energy Acquires Duke Energy's South Carolina Fast-Charging Network

Optimus Energy Solutions announced on June 10, 2026 that it acquired and will continue operating a major electric vehicle fast-charging network in South Carolina.

The network includes 52 DC fast-charging stations across 26 locations throughout the state.

The infrastructure was originally developed through a Duke Energy pilot program approved by the South Carolina Public Service Commission.

As the pilot reached its planned conclusion, Optimus stepped in to preserve the stations through private ownership and long-term operation.

Many locations serve rural communities and major travel corridors, according to the company.

Over a two-week transition, the stations migrated to the ChargePoint network to improve visibility and accessibility for drivers using ChargePoint and roaming partners.

Optimus President Ben Pauluhn said the acquisition reflects a long-term investment in EV charging access, particularly in rural areas where reliable infrastructure is essential.

The company said it plans to operate and maintain the network for decades as EV adoption grows across the Southeast.

South Carolina has more than 20,000 registered electric vehicles, according to the release.

Utility pilot chargers disappear quietly more often than press releases admit.

This story is the opposite: a private operator taking ownership so 52 fast chargers do not vanish when a program ends.

That matters to Southeast drivers who already treat charging apps like weather reports.

If a station drops off the map, your weekend plan changes.

Migrating to ChargePoint is the practical detail.

Drivers who live inside one app ecosystem finally get a fighting chance to see rural South Carolina stalls before they arrive with 8 percent battery and a crying kid.

Asian American families in Charlotte, Atlanta spillover suburbs, and Carolina college towns may never think about Duke Energy branding.

They do think about whether I-85 and I-95 corridors have trustworthy fast charging when visiting relatives in smaller cities.

Rural coverage is the headline beneath the headline.

Metro EV life gets most of the ink.

Road trips fail in the gaps between metros.

Optimus framing the network as a decades-long operation is either reassuring or meaningless depending on uptime.

Watch whether maintenance improves after month three, not day three.

This is not a reason to buy an EV tomorrow if your apartment still lacks Level 2.

It is a reason to update your road-trip assumptions if you already drive electric in the Southeast.

Pair the news with our road trip range anxiety guide and hybrid versus EV city framework before you let a relative claim there are no chargers in the South.

Policy fights get louder than operational wins.

Operational wins are what keep you moving on a Sunday drive home.