The Charge Ahead Partnership (CAP) on Sept. 15 issued a statement appreciating President Biden’s remarks that electric vehicle charging stations should be as easy to find as gas stations but underscored the need for energy policy changes that foster private investment in EV charging stations.
CAP said that grants and partnership opportunities mark an important step to kickstart the market for EV charging but do not replace the need to further refine existing energy policy.
Fuel retailers can single-handedly eliminate range anxiety, which remains the No. 1 reason why many consumers refrain from purchasing an electric vehicle. However, federal investments must drive necessary policy and market reforms or the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure grant program will result in charging stations being placed in undesirable locations, limiting consumer interest in purchasing EVs and minimizing private companies' desire to invest in charging stations.
On Sept. 14, President Biden announced that 35 states so far have received funding approval to build out their EV charging network through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure formula, which is part of the bipartisan infrastructure law that the president signed last year.
During his comments at the Huntington Place Convention Center in Detroit, Michigan, President Biden called for charging stations along America’s highways that replicate the current refueling experience.
“The great American road trip is going to be fully electrified. Whether you’re driving coast to coast along the I-10 or on I-75 here in Michigan, charging stations will be up and as easy to find as gas stations are now,” President Biden said.
Truckstops, travel plazas and all fuel retailers seeking to invest in EV charging stations face unfair competition from public utilities, which public can use ratepayer funds to subsidize the cost of utility owned EV chargers while also levying significant demand charges on private retailers.
Why Don’t Gas Stations Have EV Chargers (video)
Subscribe to Updates
NATSO provides a breadth of information created to strengthen travel plazas’ ability to meet the needs of the travelling public in an age of disruption. This includes knowledge filled blog posts, articles and publications. If you would like to receive a digest of blog post and articles directly in your inbox, please provide your name, email and the frequency of the updates you want to receive the email digest.
