Posted on Apr 30, 2022
How the U.S. wants to make charging electric cars (almost) as painless as pumping gas
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https://www.npr.org/2022/04/30/ [login to see] /electric-cars-charging-stations-range-anxiety
Electric vehicles are widely seen as the future.
Ford will soon start delivering its shiny new F-150 Lightning, the electric version of its pickup truck, and other auto makers are racing to electrify their most popular models.
But many drivers considering switching to electric vehicles cite a similar concern: the hypothetical nightmare of getting stuck in the middle of nowhere without any battery left.
The Biden administration has an ambitious plan to address that. It wants to build tons of chargers so that they become as common as a gas station, and closer to the ease and speed of pumping gas.
Here's how the plan would work – and what it would mean for electric car owners and prospective buyers.
Electric vehicles are widely seen as the future.
Ford will soon start delivering its shiny new F-150 Lightning, the electric version of its pickup truck, and other auto makers are racing to electrify their most popular models.
But many drivers considering switching to electric vehicles cite a similar concern: the hypothetical nightmare of getting stuck in the middle of nowhere without any battery left.
The Biden administration has an ambitious plan to address that. It wants to build tons of chargers so that they become as common as a gas station, and closer to the ease and speed of pumping gas.
Here's how the plan would work – and what it would mean for electric car owners and prospective buyers.
How the U.S. wants to make charging electric cars (almost) as painless as pumping gas
Posted from npr.org
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Driving
Posted 2 y ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."Is the Biden plan enough?
Put simply, no.
By some estimates it could take $40 billion – 8 times the amount the federal government will provide – to build all those chargers.
But Britta Gross, at energy consulting firm RMI, says this is an important start that could help jumpstart private investment.
"That could be the confidence-inspiring trigger that says, 'Hey, private investment, pick up now where the federal government has now stepped aside, and now it's time for the free market to take this thing into scale,'" she says.
Right now, there are about 46,000 charging stations in the U.S., compared to around 150,000 gas stations.
Some of those chargers have been built by automakers. Tesla has built more than 900 of its own chargers in the U.S., though those stations only charge Tesla vehicles.
Others have been built by independent charging providers, like Electrify America, EVgo, and ChargePoint. These companies frequently partner with gas stations, big box stores, and grocery stores where they install their chargers."
..."Is the Biden plan enough?
Put simply, no.
By some estimates it could take $40 billion – 8 times the amount the federal government will provide – to build all those chargers.
But Britta Gross, at energy consulting firm RMI, says this is an important start that could help jumpstart private investment.
"That could be the confidence-inspiring trigger that says, 'Hey, private investment, pick up now where the federal government has now stepped aside, and now it's time for the free market to take this thing into scale,'" she says.
Right now, there are about 46,000 charging stations in the U.S., compared to around 150,000 gas stations.
Some of those chargers have been built by automakers. Tesla has built more than 900 of its own chargers in the U.S., though those stations only charge Tesla vehicles.
Others have been built by independent charging providers, like Electrify America, EVgo, and ChargePoint. These companies frequently partner with gas stations, big box stores, and grocery stores where they install their chargers."
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