Despite the Biden administration handing out $5 billion with the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program to aid in the construction of a U.S. national EV charging network that will help facilitate the electrification of the American passenger vehicle fleet, only eight charging stations have been built two years later out of 593 planned sites.
America’s decentralized approach to awarding contracts and constructing the charging network is the speed bump preventing faster buildout according to a report by Automotive News.
Each state is responsible for its own network planning, bidding process with contractors, and fund distribution, a situation further complicated by the mix of publicly owned and private power companies operating locally in each region. Slightly less than half of U.S. states—23 in all—have actually awarded contracts to network-building companies.
In that group, actual charging charging stations have been built in just six states. The individual state with the most stations built thanks to the program is New York, where three charging stations have been constructed after two years. Hawaii, Maine, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Vermont each have one operational station.
The number of stations contracted for building is also low in many cases. For example, Vermont’s single existing station is also the only station in the state for which a contract was awarded to a company. Only four states – Colorado, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin – currently have plans to build 50 or more stations on their territory.
Low EV numbers in many states are also making state governments reluctant to build chargers that will barely be used but for which they will need to pay upkeep nevertheless. A total of 87 electric vehicles were sold in Wyoming during Q1 2024, underlining the reasons why state officials paused the charging network program for much of 2023.
The situation is something of a catch-22, with Americans reluctant, in part, to buy more EV units because of a lack of charging infrastructure and state governments delaying charger construction because of low electric vehicle sales. A recent study shows EV purchase consideration is shrinking specifically because of concern about poor charging station availability – though a more optimistic study predicts an EV sales explosion in the later 2020s.
Meanwhile, GM is outdoing every state in the union with its own electric vehicle charging network program. Partnered with Pilot Travel Centers LLC and EVgo Inc, The General opened about 25 charging stations in the United States by the end of 2023.
GM’s partner EVgo is skeptical of National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure funding. The states’ glacial scheduling, poor coordination with electric companies, and requirements for letters of credit or bid bonds all make the company steer clear of the process.
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Comments
There are some other credit/rebates that are similarly held up. The one I’m aware of is a credit for doing electrical work inside your house, to do things like add an EV charger or convert to an induction stove. Washington state still doesn’t have their system in place.
Lack of charging stations is not the reason americans aren’t buying more EV’s at all. The refill time for the range is unacceptable. The EV tech does not like cold weather at all. The cats are heavy and if taxed properly could not compete in a fair market. EV’s are but a stepping stone. For me, I’m a gasoline forever guy. Are we saying thete is no more efficiencies in ICE platforms? Are we saying gasoline is as good as it’s ever going to be? Are we saying rail effencies for long haul is as good as it ever will get? And finally, are there no more semi truck efficiency to be gained? Let the marketplace work
I don’t know what that has to do with my comment about how long the states are taking to setup programs. That was pretty much my only point.
A agree refill time is one of the main issues, but mainly for those without garages, or at least a place they can charge at home. If I didn’t have a garage I wouldn’t consider an EV, but then I don’t go to gas stations that have slow pumps. My time is important to me.
As to the rest, no matter how efficient ICE becomes, it will never be carbon neutral unless burning hydrogen which is produced by clean means. That might somehow be a good option someday, but then you still have the maintenance required by an ICE engine.
Here’s some news and facts for you Kary….EV’s ARE NOT CARBON NEUTRAL ! Batteries do NOT produce Electricity. They STORE Electricity made elsewhere and most commonly produced by Coal, Diesel, Nuclear, Methane fired generation systems. Saying EV’s are Carbon Neutral is very much UNTRUE and FALSE !
Duh, but also very dependent on where you live. And really you should have known I knew that given I specified the method by which hydrogen would need to be produced to be carbon neutral. Also, the electrical system will get more carbon neutral over time, to the point where many locations will be 100% carbon neutral. Currently my utility is 40% carbon neutral. And note I never said it was carbon neutral, only that ICE engines will never be. So you’re arguing against something I never said.
Not going to happen ever with ICE, except the hydrogen ICE I mentioned, absent some carbon capture technology (which BTW would probably be easier to implement on natural gas generation plants).
So your post is really just posting FUD nonsense.
This is the standard BS espoused by dirty fuels! The problem with this argument is that electric companies have been moving quickly to fossil free alternatives with significant effect. Strongly suggest doing homework before opening mouth.
baloney ! piled higher and deeper. There is no Public Electrical Utility anywhere in the U.S. that is 40% carbon neutral except in your weak, lying brain.
Stop lying creep.
Puget Sound Energy in Western Washington is 40%. I believe Snohomish County PUD is even higher. (Just Googled–it’s 95%.)
In case you don’t know, the area has a lot of hydro power, and probably was even higher years ago.
And don’t confuse your ignorance with my lying. Pathetic POS.
During the summer I spend $5 month to run my Rivian and it is not very efficient. My solar panels work well. But it goes up to $50 a-month in winter. By the way the world is approaching 50% renewable and it is rapidly increasing.
The electric companies are licking their chops, just waiting for everyone to own EVs so they can raise the price of electricity through the roof. You can take that to the bank. Don’t act like your solar panels are free and will have to be replaced with your old ones going to a dump.
That’s an interesting statistic, since in 2021 alone China brought more coal-fired power plants on line than the US had in total, and the number of new coal-fired plants was expected to continue to grow until 2030, when China “promises” to cut back.
Kary,
You bring up a good point. EVs were meant to decrease pollution, but are being sold as a panacea for global climate change. If they can’t figure out infrastructure in large cities without having residents, hang electrical cords out their windows, how will they ever achieve any adoption goals? More of a rhetorical question, but you know what I mean.
Wow, a factual comment gets downvoted by those presumably wed to ICE engines. Pretty funny, but also sad.
Why build these charging stations when the Mr Average is NOT buying these worthless piles of rubbish EVs. Somebody is NOT LISTENING. The BS IS NOW HITTING HOME EVERYWHERE.
BS? How about the claim that no one is buying EVs? That’s total BS.
And LOL on their being “worthless.” More BS. Their average selling price is quite high, although that’s in part due to being “optioned up.” But it’s also due to there being more people wanting to buy them than cars produced.
But in case you haven’t heard, the reason SOME are not buying is due to the lack of a sufficient number charging stations, or charging stations in enough areas.
No demand?
@Mel
Exactly… they are still trying to pass this false info
A government-funded construction project isn’t running efficiently? Weird.
Seemed to work for the Hoover Dam, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Eisenhower Interstate System……countless other projects.
Gimme something less than 100-60 years old…….
Government funded rebuild of North Wilkesboro Speedway and new local infrastructure went petty well, only took a little over a year. Things work amazing good when it’s something people want and it supports gas powered vehicles.
COVID-19 vaccine
Countless? Keep counting. That’s just 3, and all took years to build, in a period where commercial projects like the Empire State Building took just 410 days. In an era when skyscrapers take 3-5 years to be built now, expect any gov project to take 1-2 decades, and through multiple administrations with differing opinions with ample time to pull the plug
But back then we had COMPETENT leadership unlike the dope and his minions we now have in office.
They (government projects) can still be inefficient, even if a good idea. The Bonneville Power Administration was (and maybe still is) selling power to utilities at way below market rates, costing the government money, but also resulting in more energy being used. So yeah, it was a great project initially, but after that run poorly.
Sorry, Biden was not president then.
Green New Scam
We are from the government, we are here to help. The scariest line one could ever hear.
Next time there’s a natural disaster in your state don’t ask for help then. Nobody wants the Government involved until they can personally benefit from it.
By the time all the goons take their cut of that 5 billion dollars those eight stations that got built will have to be sold to pay back the project debt.
Lack of demand huh Lol
That is so laughable for anyone to still believe this. The MSM must think that we do not know how to read numbers evidently Lol
This is becoming extremely lame as EV sales are projected to be 1.6 Million thi year and 2.5 in 2025
Charging solutions are dependently needed.
The real reason is that they realized Tesla is so much ahead of everyone else and so much cheaper and they do not want to award pretty much everything to them.
I stated this two years ago.
Award Tesla heavily early on and then start funding others second phase when their prices and more importantly their technology catches up.
“projections” are pie-in-the-sky nonsense and the motoring public awakening to all the EV problems, drawbacks and lack of sales prove your “projections” are totally irrelevant.
I have seen a lot of demand when I am at charging stations. I also recently visited one of the GM chargers at a Pilot Travel stop and it was extremely nice! They were pull through and covered just like gas pumps. This is the way to do it. I also get well over 250 kW in my Ioniq 5 which meant that I went in, took a bathroom break, purchased some snacks and by the time I came back out my car was almost completely charged.
I’ve wondered before why the EV charging station layout is different than gas. I suspect it has something to do with number of cars that will fit and the length of time it takes to charge. But I wonder how many people are just uncomfortable with a pull in format, not wanting to back their car?
Did the EV charging stations reinvent the wheel when it wasn’t necessary?
Funny, I stayed at a Marriott and the front desk employee pointed out that they have EV charging stations right out front. I asked her why the stations are next to the handicap spaces near the hotel front entrance? Are they handicap-adjacent? Took her a second, then she got it 😉
I’m all for those who want to drive BEVs, but no matter how many are sold, they’re not going to effect climate change because earth temperature cycles regardless of human intervention. That’s why the alarmists will continue to pull the cord until they’re rich and in control indefinitely. You can’t control climate but you can control conformists.
again, it is a cluster every time govt tries to tell people what to do and how to do it. Pete B is a complete idiot and should not be running a popsicle stand. Biden just blows tax payer dollars and DOESNT care. There is a cost to all this and it is called debt which we have to pay back. people will buy these as it is smart for them to buy them and the technology and the infastructure builds not the govt telling, spending and failing.
Probably more to do with electric utilities energizing the stations than willingness to build them and/or demand for EVs. Queue for new station hookup competes with new neighborhoods, shopping centers and any other project requiring connection to the grid. Grid capacity is an issue. The other stuff is bathed in politics and oil lobby disinformation.
as stated by so many others ….
The answer is : It is the Government !!!! The most inefficient and corrupt organization in the World !!!!!
And they are supported by the MSM almost 100% …… What a shame …
If our Founding Fathers could see us today – WOW !!!!!!!!!
Government has been building roads for more than 100 years. Give it another 98 years for EV charging stations.
Government is falling what is new? Not even demand meets not enough workers and supply . Government 101
WTF, when autos first came on scene 120 plus years ago there wasn’t a govt push and funded by govt to build gas stations! We didn’t outlaw the horse in so many years to force folks to by cars. This is the same thing today. If the need was truly there then the private sector would kick in. Just some random thoughts that have nothing to do with most of the comments here. Stop forcing a product that no one wants. If EVs are the future (sarcasm mode here) then build what the public wants instead of forcing us to purchase what we don’t. Oh, I forgot, the govt knows what is needed . Big sigh!
I just completed my second 2400 mile road trip with a 2024 Cadillac Lyriq. I stopped at three of the new Flying J GM Energy Ultium EVgo chargers. They are outstanding as they are pull through chargers, covered and very fast. I’ve had multiple Texas road trips ( San Antonio – El Paso-Dallas-Houston) primarily charging with Electrify America and EVgo. Chargers are in locations that allows one to dine and/or shop while charging. It will be even better once we have the adapters to use Tesla Superchargers
All this talk is worthless. As atmospheric CO2 levels continue to rise the world over, humans are making steady progress to their demise. Unfortunately, EVs alone will not save us from ourselves. My lifelong motto has been…”I’d really like to be an optimist, but I’m just afraid that it wouldn’t work out.”
Jan,
Would bet that if we were to shut down all of the coal fired plants and garage every combustion engined car, truck, train, and plane that exists, planet temps would still rise and Davos would still clamor for more restrictive controls and a new world order.
It’s not about power, it’s about POWER.
Well, since the earth has indeed been getting warmer since the last ice age, I believe that is a safe bet.
Exactly!
Watch the 13 minute video Tom Heller posted “My Gift to Climate Alarmists”, and then you’ll perhaps start to understand how the Government is manipulating us.
I drive a 21 VW ID.4 and I love it. But I do crave more charging opportunities when I’m not at home.
Maybe instead of trying to create artificial competition. We should just reward the existing station owners/builders so that they can continue to build, maintain and expand already existing stations. That’d be way faster. They’re already doing something that works. Just keep doing it – here’s 5 billion dollars. You’d have way more than three stations built.
Ppl who never driven or owned an EV should not comment anything about EVs. However in 10 years there are Tesla superchargers all across the world. Slow I do not think so. EVs not working in the cold but NO problems in Norway where COLD is real but EVs and charging work and lots of ppl drive EVs especially Tesla vehicles.