Electric vehicles (EVs) are undoubtedly the future of transportation, and governments worldwide are incentivizing their use. However, the transition to electric hasn’t been without challenges. In the US, thousands of EV chargers are currently out of service and in need of repair.
A recent article by The Verge highlighted that there are over 6,000 non-operational EV chargers, accounting for about four percent of the total charging stations available. This can be incredibly frustrating for electric motorcycle and car riders who rely on these chargers. Imagine arriving at a charger only to find it out of service when you only have a few miles of range left.
To address this issue, the US Department of Transportation (DOT) has recently allocated $100 million to repair and replace non-operational EV charging infrastructure. The funding comes from the government’s $7.4 billion investment in EV charging technology, approved under the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. In addition to repairing existing stations, the government is also working on installing thousands of new EV charging stations along major US highways, estimating the project cost at approximately $1 billion.
According to The Verge, dysfunctional EV chargers create significant barriers to electric vehicle adoption. Charging an EV inherently takes more time than refueling a gas tank, even with advanced technologies. The presence of faulty or out-of-service chargers only exacerbates this issue, as users may have to wait longer or find alternative charging stations. JD Power’s data reveals that satisfaction with EV charging infrastructure has been decreasing year after year, reaching its lowest level.
According to the Department of Energy’s database, there are currently 151,506 public charging ports available in the US. Out of that total, 6,261 are non-operational due to various reasons such as maintenance, damage, or power issues. The $100 million funding is expected to cover the costs of repairing and replacing these chargers. The DOT will distribute the funds through a streamlined application process, encompassing both publicly and privately owned chargers that are accessible to the public without restrictions.