Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure

The United States of America requires a significant increase in the number of charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs), and the federal government will soon provide funding for these stations. There are seven guiding concepts that could assist US states and companies in efficiently accelerating this buildout.

Nearlyone-fifth of the United States' greenhouse gas emissions come from automobiles and trucks. In order to meet the offsdfsdficial goal of reaching net-zero emissions by the year 2050, all of these emissions must be eradicated. Although sales of electric vehicles (EVs) in the United States have increased by more than forty percent each year, on average, since 2016, nearly half of US consumers say that battery or charging issues are their primary concerns about purchasing EVs. This is despite the fact that sales of EVs have increased by more than forty percent each year, on average, since 2016. 1 It is not an overstatement to suggest that the limited network of charging stations around the nation is likely discouraging to a great number of potential consumers. As a direct response, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) allots $7.5 billion for the expansion of the electric vehicle charging infrastructure across the country. The target date for the installation of 500,000 public chargers, which are defined as charging stations that are accessible to the general public and are compatible with all types of vehicles and technology, is 2030. However, even the installation of 500,000 additional public charging stations could not be enough to meet demand. We estimate that the United States will need 1.2 million public electric vehicle chargers and 28 million private electric vehicle chargers by the year 2030 under a scenario in which half of all vehicles sold are zero-emission vehicles. This scenario is in line with targets set by the federal government. 2 In total, the nation would require almost 20 times more chargers than it currently possesses.

Increasing the number of charging stations is not the only thing that should be considered. To cite just one specific priority, the BIL emphasizes equity. The price of electricity obtained from a public charger can be anywhere from five to 10 times more than the price of electricity purchased from a private charger. Public charging stations will probably need to be affordable, evenly dispersed, appealing to use, and wired to a reliable power grid in order to keep electric vehicles (EVs) fueled up and operational. It is also likely that the businesses that are anticipated to install and run them will be required to demonstrate that they can profit from the implementation and operation of the systems. If states and corporations were to incorporate factors like these into their planning processes, they would be in a better position to meet the demand for public charging in the United States.