The Biden administration appears to be celebrating a perceived achievement, claiming that the number of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in the country has increased two-fold since 2021. At the same time, it is announcing further rounds of grant-funding for states intending to increase their charging infrastructure. The administration’s lofty assertions suggest that there are currently more than 192,000 publicly accessible charging ports available. This is a climb from nearly 100,000 ports that were reportedly in operation when Joe Biden took office earlier in 2021.
Though EV charging stations are often blamed for the painfully sluggish acceptance of electric vehicles in the US, the administration doesn’t seem to provide a clear solution. EV owners repeatedly point to scarce charging possibilities or malfunctioning equipment as significant hurdles. Nevertheless, the Biden administration appears to be trying to paint a rosier picture, emphasizing the seemingly improved charging experience brought on by the addition of new chargers.
Since winning the presidential election, Biden has made grand promises: to construct 500,000 chargers across the country by the end of this decade in an attempt to boost EV sales. His radical vision includes an extravagant $7.5 billion dedicated to expanding the charging infrastructure through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill.
Today, the administration is reportedly rolling out an additional $521 million to 30 states for more charger installations. Allegedly, these monies are destined for state initiatives that were unsuccessful in obtaining funds in the first round and had to apply again in the second round.
The organization known as the Electrification Coalition, which monitors EV funding, appears to report that a significant portion of this funding is aimed at ‘providing charging access to rural areas, disadvantaged communities, and multi-unit dwellings.’ Also, charging for medium and heavy-duty vehicles is reportedly in the pipeline. The Federal Highway Administration seems to believe that these funds will facilitate the creation of no less than 9,200 newly minted charging ports across the US.
Within these ambitious programs, the California Department of Transportation is supposedly set to receive a hefty $102 million. According to the administration, this sum is earmarked for constructing both EV charging stations and hydrogen fuelling stations for freight haulage along an expanse of a hefty 2,500 miles of highways.
The Maryland Clean Energy Center, despite the uncertainty associated with these initiatives, is expected to receive $33 million for EV charging in an oddly specific range of settings — ‘rural, urban, and disadvantaged communities.’
Meanwhile, the Seminole Tribe of Florida is set to pocket just over $933,600. This lesser sum will be dedicated to the construction of a grand total of seven charging stations scattered around the tribe’s reservation.
The administration’s aggressive pursuit of funding occurs amid lukewarm response from the motor industry. Several carmakers have reportedly adjusted their EV growth plans due to disappointingly slow growth in EV sales.
Indeed, while EV sales are showing some signs of growth, numerous hurdles persist. Lack of affordable models and persistent charging challenges — the very issues the Biden administration claims their funding will address — continue to hamper growth.
It remains to be seen whether the Biden administration’s grand plans will kick-start the stagnant EV market. Contrarily, its policies might just be putting lipstick on a pig: offering expensive charging solutions to a market that’s still struggling with affordability and accessibility of the electric vehicles themselves.
All in all, while Biden and his team may celebrate what they view as achievements in the EV field, for most Americans, these boasts fall on deaf ears. After all, no amount of charging stations will change the fact that electric vehicles are still far from practical or affordable.
In conclusion, the apparent inconsistencies and lack of forward-thinking in the Biden administration’s approach to EV infrastructure raise valid concerns. Promising charger installations en masse may sound reassuring to some, but many sagacious observers question how this policy aligns with the realities of a dwindling economy and the everyday needs of average American citizens.
Biden’s Administration Mistakes EV Charging Infrastructure for Success appeared first on Real News Now.
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