Reston, Virginia-based Bechtel was selected by school transportation service First Student to design and build charging stations for one of its electrification projects in the U.S., the contractor announced last week. Bechtel declined to provide the cost of the project.
Bechtel will provide engineering, procurement and construction services for the new charging stations, per the release, and the two companies plan to partner on future projects.
The project is a stepping stone in First Student’s plans to electrify 30,000 vehicles in its fleet by 2035, according to the release. There is increasing demand for EV batteries and infrastructure throughout the U.S. and projects across the EV spectrum are receiving billions in federal funding.
Bechtel considers the burgeoning field of EV infrastructure and electrification to be a “very high priority,” Catherine Hunt Ryan, president of the company’s manufacturing and technology business, told Construction Dive in an interview. “We are focused on projects across the entire battery value chain. It’s the full package.”
Bechtel provides a range of services in the electrification market, according to the release, including feasibility studies, site selection, front-end engineering design, procurement services, construction management and project management. Justin Britt, general manager of electric vehicles at Bechtel, stressed the value the company is placing in the EV industry.
“Building a future of vehicle electrification means investing in infrastructure today in everything from raw material extraction, processing plants, battery component manufacturing, final assembly, charging stations and recycling,” Britt said in the release.