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The Evolving Landscape of Electrical Vehicle Charging in the U.S.: Addressing Infrastructure Disparities
The electric vehicle (EV) revolution is gaining momentum, but its success hinges on a robust and accessible charging infrastructure. The United States is at a pivotal juncture in the realm of electric vehicles. With the ever-growing focus on sustainability and the push to reduce carbon emissions, EVs have gained immense popularity. However, as more Americans make the shift to electric vehicles, the inadequacy of the nation’s charging infrastructure becomes increasingly evident. The absence of sufficient charging infrastructure remains a significant obstacle for potential electric vehicle (EV) buyers, with nearly 80% of the general public expressing this concern. Interestingly, this apprehension was shared across various demographics, including urban, suburban, and rural residents, as revealed in a recent poll conducted by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago and the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The poll highlighted that almost half, specifically 47%, of American adults indicated that it is unlikely they would choose an EV as their next vehicle. This article delves into the data to uncover the current state of EV charging in the US and the efforts underway to address the disparities.
President Joe Biden enacted a stopgap bill, approved by Congress just hours before a pivotal midnight deadline, preventing a government shutdown as federal agency funding was on the verge of expiring. The Senate successfully passed the measure last September, following an unexpected shift in the House, which earlier in the day approved a bipartisan bill to extend government funding. This decision came after days of uncertainty regarding the possibility of a shutdown.
The stopgap bill includes $3.5 billion in funding for the Department of Energy’s EV programs, which will support research and development, demonstration projects, and deployment of EVs and charging infrastructure. This funding is critical for the continued growth of the EV industry and will help to accelerate the transition to a cleaner transportation future. The bill also includes $1 billion in funding for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which will help to ensure the safety of EVs and promote their adoption. NHTSA is responsible for setting safety standards for EVs and for educating consumers about the benefits of EVs.
In addition to the direct funding for EVs, the stopgap bill also includes several provisions that will indirectly support the EV industry. For example, the bill extends the tax credit for EV purchases, which will make EVs more affordable for consumers. The bill also includes funding for the expansion of broadband internet access, which will make it easier for people to use smart charging apps to charge their EVs at home and work. Overall, the stopgap bill is a positive development for the EV industry. The funding and provisions in the bill will help accelerate the adoption of EVs and make them more affordable and accessible to consumers.
The Biden administration has set a goal of installing 500,000 public charging stations by 2030. This ambitious goal will require significant investment and collaboration between government agencies, private companies, and community stakeholders. The success of this initiative will be crucial in bridging the charging infrastructure gap and making EV ownership more accessible to a broader segment of the population.
The distribution of EV charging stations is heavily skewed towards urban areas and coastal states. According to the Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center, California leads the nation with over 40,000 public charging stations, while states like Wyoming and Alaska have less than 100 each. California also remains the leader in electric vehicle adoption, accounting for approximately 30% of all EV sales in the US. This disparity is further exacerbated by the concentration of charging stations in affluent neighbourhoods, leaving lower-income communities with fewer options.
In many urban areas, the number of electric vehicles (EVs) is increasing faster than the availability of charging stations. This can lead to long wait times for EV drivers to charge their vehicles, which can be frustrating and inconvenient. In some cases, it can even deter people from buying or using an EV. For instance, San Francisco has one of the highest concentrations of EVs in the United States. However, the city has only a few hundred public charging stations. This means that EV drivers often have to wait in long lines to charge their vehicles. The situation drastically worsens in rural areas and less affluent regions, where charging infrastructure is often severely lacking. This stark disparity presents a significant challenge to the widespread adoption of electric vehicles. This disparity highlights the urban-rural divide, where urban areas enjoy more comprehensive charging infrastructure, while rural areas suffer from limited accessibility. This discrepancy can pose a significant hurdle to rural EV adoption and hinder the spread of clean transportation in these regions, which may include other use cases such as electrification of mobile farm equipment; mobile vehicles used in parks and woodlands, for border surveillance and more.
The lack of public access and charging gap in the US is a major issue that is preventing the widespread adoption of electric vehicles (EVs). The lack of public charging stations is a major barrier to EV adoption, especially for people who live in apartments or condos who do not have access to private charging. It can be difficult or impossible for these people to find a place to charge their vehicles, which can lead to range anxiety and discourage them from buying or using an EV. According to the NREL study published in June 2023 “Building the 2030 National Charging Network” analyzing nationwide US charging needs for accelerating EV adoption, to support the forecast pool of 33 million BEVs in 2030, the ecosystem will need 182,000 publicly accessible fast charging stations along highways and in communities, 1,000,000 publicly accessible Level 2 ports in commercial and residential areas, including in highly populated neighbourhoods and at retail and work locations.
According to NREL’s Eric Wood, a senior EV charging infrastructure researcher who led the study’s research team, “In just the past few years, we have seen historic investments into national EV infrastructure, including the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program and the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program, both of which are supported by the Joint Office. At the same time, the study reinforces the notion that we’re going to need to continue to work together—both public and private entities—to build the national network that we’ll need for 2030 and beyond.”
While the United States has set clear goals to make EV charging stations publicly accessible, there are especially strong concerns about the availability of chargers in multi-unit dwellings and rural areas. An earlier 2022 study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory found that only 14% of multi-unit dwellings in the US have access to EV charging. This poses a challenge for urban dwellers living in apartments or condos who wish to own electric vehicles.
The gap between the number of EVs on American roads and the number of EV chargers is widening. As of the end of Q1 2023, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation’s Electric Vehicle Quarterly Report indicates approximately 134,000 charging stations and 3.34 million electric vehicles (EVs) on the road in the United States. In August 2023, The White House reiterated its aim for 500,000 public chargers, including those at workplaces and along highways, to support the anticipated growth in electric vehicles (EVs). This stark imbalance underscores the pressing need for expanding charging infrastructure to meet the growing demand for electric vehicles. In their Special Report published in January 2023, S&P Global Mobility estimated some 126,500 Level 2 and 20,431 Level 3 charging stations in the United States, plus another 16,822 Tesla Superchargers and Tesla destination chargers. “The transition to a vehicle market dominated by electric vehicles (EVs) will take years to fully develop, but it has begun,” said S&P Global Mobility analyst Ian McIlravey. “With the transition comes a need to evolve the public vehicle charging network, and today’s charging infrastructure is insufficient to support a drastic increase in the number of EVs in operation.”
Range anxiety, the fear of running out of battery power before reaching a charging station, remains a significant barrier to EV adoption. While EV ranges have improved significantly in recent years, the availability of fast chargers is crucial for alleviating range anxiety. As per the Alternative Fuels Data Center of the U.S. Department of Energy, it was recorded in June 2023 to be around 50,000 public charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs) in the United States, providing nearly 130,000 individual charging ports. Within this count, approximately 44,000 are Level 2 stations, offering over 100,000 ports, while about 6,600 are DC Fast Charging stations, providing roughly 28,000 ports. This highlights a notable emphasis on Level 2 ports, indicating a majority lack fast-charging capabilities.
While EV owners in most cases have regular access to Level 2 chargers for routine, long-duration charging of their vehicles either at home or at work, drivers require access to DC fast charging at distant destinations to recharge their vehicles for their return trips. Moreover, the business model for commercial EVs which regularly travel long distances and whose efficiency is based on minimizing charge time requires wide distribution of economical DC fast charging stations wherever fleets travel.
In this regard, travelling across the continent in an EV is becoming increasingly feasible, but careful planning is still required. The availability of charging stations along major highways has improved, but there are still gaps in coverage, particularly in rural areas. Drivers should carefully map their routes and identify potential charging stops in advance. This highlights the need for further investment in a comprehensive network of charging stations to make long-distance electric travel more convenient and accessible.
The Biden administration’s proposed vehicle emissions policy aims to bolster clean vehicle production, but the longstanding 12% federal excise tax on the initial sale of highway-used heavy trucks poses a challenge to climate goals. Industry experts have consistently advocated for the repeal of this tax due to its significant cost implications. Policymakers are navigating the delicate balance of promoting EV adoption while addressing concerns regarding affordability and infrastructure development. Currently, 47 states and Washington, D.C., provide incentives to support EV deployment, offering financial support for the purchase of EVs or chargers and related equipment.
Another recent policy advocates for new investments in EV manufacturing and charging infrastructure. Issued in April 2023, the administration announced a new goal of making all new vehicles sold in the United States zero emissions by 2045. California has some of the most ambitious EV policies in the country, including a goal of making all new vehicles zero emissions by 2045. The state also offers several incentives for EV purchases, including a tax credit of up to $4,500 and access to carpool lanes. While there are great discrepancies in the policies, market conditions and status of EV and EV infrastructure deployment between the different states across the U.S., the encouragement by the federal government as well as by the automotive industry are having a steadily positive impact across the nation.
The future of EV charging in the United States hinges on a concerted effort to address the current disparities and create a seamless and accessible charging experience for all drivers. Achieving this goal will require collaboration between government agencies, private companies, and community stakeholders. Solutions such as the GenCell EVOX can fill the power gap by stepping in to provide rapidly deployable, multipurpose resilient green power for DC fast public EV charging, backup and emergency operations in any location, regardless of grid conditions. The opportunities for investment in EV charging are strong and growing, and their success will bring not only economic prosperity but also substantial environmental benefits in terms of reducing emissions in the race against global warming.