Sept. 11, 2026
VIROQUA, Wis. — Sleepy Hollow Auto Group has been awarded a $564,158 grant to build eight high-speed electric vehicle charging stations at its Commercial Truck Center in Viroqua.
The award will support the installation Superchargers delivering up to 500 kW per port, open to all EV makes. The chargers will be located at the Sleepy Hollow Commercial Truck Center, next to Kwik Trip, at 150 Fairlane Drive near the intersection of Highway 14. The total cost of the project is $705,000, funded jointly by Sleepy Hollow Auto Group, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s Wisconsin Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (WEVI) Program, and Xcel Energy.
Sleepy Hollow applied for the grant with assistance from Al Buss at the Vernon County Energy District.
“We’re proud to bring fast, reliable charging to Viroqua and to serve the commuters, neighbors, and local businesses along this corridor,” said LaVon “Spanky” Felton, owner of Sleepy Hollow Auto Group. “This is an investment in the future of our community, and we couldn’t have done it without Al Buss and the Vernon County Energy District. Al was instrumental in helping us pursue and secure this grant, and we’re incredibly grateful for his partnership.”
Felton noted that the high-power chargers will allow motorists driving an average electric vehicle to stop in Viroqua, grab a cup of coffee and a sandwich, and be back on the road in 15 to 20 minutes. The project received endorsement from local civic and community partners, including Mayor Krista Browne and the City of Viroqua, Vernon County Community Development, and Wisconsin Clean Cities, who cited benefits such as providing a fast-charging hub between Madison and La Crosse and boosting tourism for local businesses.
WisDOT Secretary Kristina Boardman highlighted that the expanding network focuses on convenient locations that allow travelers to take care of errands while charging, bringing economic activity directly to local businesses
The Viroqua location is part of a major statewide infrastructure expansion announced by Gov. Tony Evers and WisDOT. The state distributed $25 million in federal National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) funds across 42 communities through the WEVI Connecting Corridors Program. Overall, the state program has awarded approximately $62 million to fund 120 charging projects, helping build out a comprehensive clean energy network for residents and travelers.
“With gas prices that are sky-high thanks to President Trump’s war in Iran, expanding our electric vehicle charging infrastructure and helping families save money on fuel is as important as ever, and we’re doing it all while creating jobs, bolstering our local economies, and taking care of our planet, too,” said Gov. Evers. “While the federal government has repeatedly threatened this important funding, here in Wisconsin, we fought hard to make sure these investments came back home to Wisconsin like we were promised. And, today, we’re proud to see this program continue to support our network of clean energy EV charging stations to help meet the needs of Wisconsinites and the demands of a 21st-century economy.”
The announcement extends high-speed charging capabilities across several neighboring communities in southwestern Wisconsin near Vernon County:
- Prairie du Chien (Crawford County): Kwik Trip #307 near U.S. Highway 18 received $426,831.
- Richland Center (Richland County): Ramada by Wyndham near U.S. Highway 14 received $606,390.
- Boscobel: AmericInn by Wyndham near U.S. Highway 61 received $607,648.
- Fennimore: Napps Motel near U.S. Highway 18 received $612,952.
- Dodgeville: Best Western Dodgeville Inn & Suites near U.S. Highway 18 received $591,022.
- Spring Green: Round Barn Lodge near U.S. Highway 14 received $603,745.
- Reedsburg: Mobil station near State Highway 23 received $607,648.
- Belmont: Kwik Trip #1197 near U.S. Highway 151 received $561,540.
Together, these local and regional awards establish an interconnected clean energy corridor along U.S. Highways 14, 18, and 61, ensuring that rural Driftless Region communities remain accessible to residents and out-of-state travelers alike.
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