Chebi Targets North America's KRW 53 Trillion Charging Infrastructure Market with Plans for Local Production in California

Exterior view of the Chaebi and EVmode local production plant in California. Provided by Chaebi

Chebi, the leading operator of electric vehicle (EV) fast-charging infrastructure in Korea, is establishing a local production system to target the North American market.

Chebi announced on April 3 that it is working to build a production base in California to comply with the requirements of the Build America, Buy America Act (BABA) in the United States. As the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program, worth USD 4 billion (approximately KRW 6 trillion), begins rolling out subsidies in earnest, the company aims to gain an early foothold in the market by leveraging its K-charging technology.

The U.S. fast-charging infrastructure market continues to grow rapidly. As of 2025, the number of ports surpassed 70,000, with 18,041 new ports installed in a single year, representing a 39% increase compared to the previous year. With the expansion of EV adoption, the market is projected to reach 27 million vehicles by 2030, while the charging infrastructure market is expected to grow to approximately KRW 53.7 trillion by 2033.

The NEVI program under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) is a USD 5 billion (approximately KRW 7.25 trillion) initiative, but its current execution rate is only about 16%. As large-scale orders are expected in the future, with budgets concentrated in key states such as California and Texas, securing local production bases is emerging as a key competitive factor. Chebi plans to respond flexibly in line with the finalization of detailed BABA standards.

The company has established local references by being selected as a charging operation and manufacturing provider for the California Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Project (CALeVIP). Building on this, Chebi plans to establish a new manufacturing line in California in the first half of this year to expand NEVI orders and strengthen its presence in the North American market simultaneously.

The local production system is being built in cooperation with global EV charging platform company EVmode LLC. Chebi supplies fast chargers of 150kW or higher tailored to the EVmode brand and user interface, and is enhancing operational efficiency through a one-stop full-stack solution that combines a SaaS-based integrated management system and application.

The company is also strengthening its technological competitiveness. Chebi has obtained the highest number of global certifications in Korea and is meeting NEVI technical requirements. Six models for North American export—including the Duoconic 180kW, Sonic 180kW, and Supersonic 400kW DC fast chargers—have acquired global charging communication standard OCPP 2.0.1 certification, and the company’s technology has been validated through U.S. Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) certification and winning CES Innovation Awards in 2024, 2025, and 2026.

In the North American market, Chebi has secured product reliability by supplying chargers to major global automaker dealership networks, including Stellantis’s mobility brand Free2move, Ford, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, MINI, and GMC. In addition, Plug & Charge (PnC) technology certification, linked with the global charging roaming platform Hubject, is underway for three key models in North America.

The product lineup is also diverse. Chebi offers fast chargers ranging from 180kW to 400kW, and its NACS-compatible 400kW ultra-fast charger “Supersonic” is equipped with a 350A NACS cable, enabling Tesla vehicles to charge at over 300kW without a separate adapter. Full charging is possible in about 20 minutes, and sequential charging systems ensure both efficient power distribution and operational stability. The products meet the NEVI program’s minimum standard of 150kW and four ports, while offering high-power performance that is attracting attention from U.S. charging point operators (CPOs).

CEO Choi Younghoon said, “The opening of the U.S. NEVI subsidy market is the perfect time to demonstrate the competitiveness of K-charging technology. We have a system in place to respond quickly as soon as the local production standards are finalized, allowing us to react more flexibly than early investors.” He added, “We aim to become a global integrated charging platform company, centered on our California production base.”

Meanwhile, Chebi is the first electric vehicle infrastructure operator to pursue a listing on KOSDAQ. Having passed the preliminary review by the Korea Exchange, Chebi submitted a securities registration statement on April 4 and plans to offer a total of 10 million shares. The desired public offering price band is from KRW 12,300 to KRW 15,300, making the total offering size approximately KRW 123 billion to KRW 153 billion. The demand forecast is scheduled for April 10 to 16, with general public subscription on April 20 and 21.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.