The two allies hope to make use of both "public and private" cash to support their initiative, including Volkswagen settlement funds.

There's not much mystery as to why ChargePoint and NATSO are willing to spend on EV chargers. ChargePoint could corner an underserved market and reap the rewards if and when electric cars dominate. For NATSO, meanwhile, this may be a matter of survival. Many travel centers and truck stops are built on the assumption drivers are stopping for gas -- they could lose much of their business if people have few good reasons to make pit stops.