Ice cream and EV fast charging? United Dairy Farmers is bringing both to Ohio — SkimNews
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- United Dairy Farmers is installing its first DC fast chargers at six of its 170 Ohio stores, with openings expected to begin in early 2027.
- NEVI awards covered all six UDF sites across Greater Cincinnati and Columbus, including addresses in Hilliard, Lebanon, Mason, Maineville, and two Cincinnati locations.
- The chain will likely deploy Electric Era's 400-kW chargers to meet state NEVI guidelines; the technology pairs grid electricity with onsite batteries to cut peak demand where grid capacity is limited.
- U-Drive Plus loyalty members can redeem credits toward charging sessions and earn more through qualifying store purchases at the selected sites.
- Head of retail Jim Dwenger framed the rollout as the chain evolving "alongside our guests," with UDF saying it will use demand and customer feedback to shape future expansion.
Why it matters: UDF is testing whether quick-stop ice cream runs — not sit-down meals — can anchor profitable DCFC dwell time, using Electric Era's battery-buffered 400-kW system to deploy in grid-constrained suburbs where NEVI-funded sites have typically stalled.
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