Voices Behind
the Charge:
Raising the Standard for EV Charging with PowerUp America

Kempower Voices Behind the Charge: Raising the Standard for EV Charging with PowerUp America

Reliable EV charging infrastructure is essential for the continued growth of electric mobility. Across the Southeast United States, PowerUp America is working to raise that standard — building charging sites designed to deliver consistent performance and a dependable driver experience.

In this edition of Voices Behind the Charge, we feature Joshua Turner, Co-Founder and CEO of PowerUp America, and explore how the company is scaling its charging network while prioritizing reliability, high-power capability, and long-term infrastructure quality.

Setting a higher bar for charging infrastructure

When PowerUp began evaluating charging equipment providers, the team focused on what the next generation of electric vehicles would require — not just what today’s infrastructure could deliver. Joshua explains that the company wanted charging systems capable of delivering significantly higher power levels across every charging port.

“We began to look at charging solutions that provided 400 kilowatts of charging or more that had NACS and CCS on every port,” he says. “While other companies can get 180kW or 200kW, we wanted 400kW capable at every port.”

For PowerUp, that level of capability ensures their sites are ready to support evolving vehicle technology and growing driver expectations. After evaluating several EV charging manufacturers, Kempower emerged as one of the few solutions capable of meeting those requirements.

Addressing inconsistency in EV charging

While EV adoption continues to accelerate, Joshua believes that inconsistent charging experiences remain one of the biggest barriers. “The biggest gap that the EV market experiences is inconsistency in EV charging infrastructure,” Josh says.

PowerUp’s strategy is built around solving that challenge by delivering charging sites that drivers can depend on every time they arrive. Reliable infrastructure not only improves the user experience but also helps build the confidence needed for broader EV adoption. Joshua notes that Kempower’s reputation across the industry reinforced PowerUp’s decision to partner.

“We’ve looked at plenty of other charging infrastructure providers and we’ve seen inconsistency,” he says. “But everybody that talks about Kempower talks about reliability.”

That shared focus on dependable charging performance has become a central part of the collaboration between the two companies.

Supporting regional investment and manufacturing

For PowerUp America, the partnership also reflects a broader regional connection. As a company based in the Southeast, PowerUp values investments that support jobs and economic development within the region. Kempower’s manufacturing presence in North Carolina was an important factor in the partnership. Joshua recalls visiting the facility and celebrating an early milestone as PowerUp’s first charging units came off the assembly line. Moments like that highlight the collaboration behind the infrastructure now being deployed across the region.

Expanding the PowerUp network

Looking ahead, PowerUp America is continuing to expand its charging footprint as the company plans to release more than 100 charging ports as part of its growing network during this year. For Joshua, the goal remains simple: create charging locations where drivers know they can count on a reliable experience.

“We feel like Kempower is going to be able to hold up to our standard of excellence when it comes to that user experience that’s going to bring them back,” Joshua adds.

By combining high-power capability with a focus on reliability and driver experience, PowerUp America is helping strengthen the foundation for EV adoption across the Southeast.